Lesbians Are Everywhere! (Special Section Includes Photo Essay and Perspectives 'WHO WE ARE on Our Victory in Houston)

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A FEMINIST l,.ESBIAN PUBLICATlON, WRITTEN BY AND FOR THE RISING TIDE OF WOMEN TODAY

IWY Lesbian Delegate, Betty Powell; "We're all of us, all women ... black, brown, red, yellow and white ... moving into a new day now." (Houston, Nov. 20, 1977) , January / February 1978 $1.00

,~,Bsbian Table of Contents Tide PERSPECTIVES I , TIDE PUBLICATI~ Coming Out Single 4 , Burning Out Is Not an Option ' ,8706 Cadillac Ave. Los Angeles, Ca. 90034 Profile: Ginny Berson: 5 (213) 839-7254 The Politics of Ballistics - Please note new address (Special Section includes the use of guns, how women ~re fighting back and analysis of the L.A. Hillside Strangler). 6 Vol. 7, No.4 WY: Those Lesbians are Everywhere! (Special Section includes Photo Essay and perspectives 'WHO WE ARE on our victory in Houston) ...... 1?J Should Lesbians Support the Gay Movement? 17 The Lesbian Tide is a feminist lesbian publication fin- NATIONAL NEWS ancially supported by the community it serves. It is publish- Diana Press Ransacked 18 ed by Tide Publications, and receives its political direction Rights & Referendums _ 18 from The Editorial and Political Collective. We pro- National Lesbian Convention 19 duced by the pride and energies of a staff who are com- SHORTCURRENTS mitted to one or more specific departments within the Lesbian seagulls and love letters, GOP and Schlafly, Noble machine. The staff is continually open to women who wish Uncertain, Witch Newsletter, lawyers converge, Bryant loses fO become involved in journalism and communications her parade.Quebec Celebrates Passage of Gay Rights) Scholars Dr who see media as a vehicle for activitism. The E & P Agree on ERA Extension, Witch to Address Religious Confer- collective is open to staff members who have been with ence , 20 the magazine for six months and share a radical feminist MOTHERS '\ perspective, ' Who Wants A Court Battle, Money for Moms 26 EDITQRIAL POLICY ~DITORIAL/LETTERS , The right wing advertises in Tide, Fat Underground say In the interest of fostering open communication and pro- thanks, NGTF responds 27 gressive theoretical developn'lent, The Lesbian Tide prints (REVIEWS a wide variety of views from the lesbian, feminist, and gay June Arnold's latest, Applesauce.Against The Grain, communities. Our editorial perspective also includes coverage jender secrets from The Ladder ... \ .•...... 30 of other social change movements as they relate to women .. COMMUNITY FOCUS Progress in GCSC Strike, Wicca Battles City Hall, Feds The views expressed in this publication are not those of Tide Fund Alcholism Film '.. ", . . . . 34 Publications or the Editorial and Political Collective unless /. specifically by-lined as such. • •••••••••••••••••••••• '0 ••••••••••• '0' ••••••••••••••••••• Ii ••• The Editorial and Political Collective is a group of radical feminist lesbians who believe basic change in our society POSTAL INFORMATION is a pre-requisite to real liberation for women and lesbians. Application to, 'mail at 2nd class postage rates is pending We publish editorials stating our views and analysis on par- at Los 'Angeles, California. The Lesbian Tide is a. bi-monthly ticular issues. This is Vol. 7, No.4, January/February 1978 issue. Sub- Subscribers! If you move your subscription is not forward- scriptions are $6 per year. Main offices are located at: able, so send us your new address immediately. 8706 Cadillac' Ave. Los Angeles, Ca. 90034 , ...... " '.' :. . •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• e ;. • e ••• e •••••• e •••••••• e e •• FOR MAJOR EVENTS, CONCERTS, ETC. AND NATIONAL LESBIAN PRODUCTS SEE OUR FINE ADS.

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Editorial & Political Collective: Shirl Buss, Jeanne Cordova, Sharon McDonald" ; STAY CURRENT WITHIIDE Contributing Board Editor: Cheri Lesh Circulation: Barbara Gehrke Starlyn Howard Attached is my $'6.00 for a one year subscription to Advertising: Jeanne Cordova start with the next issue. .(Six issues per year) Correspondent: Pat Califia (San Francisco) GRAPHICS: Markswoman. Name ~ _ PRODUCTION CREW: (this issue): Melissa Moseley, Barbara Gehrke, Shirl Buss, Jeanne Cordova, Address,__------~ ~ Catherine Markswoman- Ann Latchford City " __ -'- .,- _ CONTRIBUTOR: Majorie Canton

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Jan./Feb.3 __ Ji --perspectives-I' _ 7/ ' Coming Out Single By Blackberry and Nelly

"For me being single is about establishing equality in 'llY relationships with women. We have been taught that your lover is number one and all your other relationships are go around. So we better get it when we can and hold onto of lower priority. As a single woman I want to change that." it and not let anyone else get near it for fear we might lose Gathering together for the weekend in the primitive sur- it!" roundings -of a wooded canyon in Southern Oregon, twenty We carried the high feeling that came out of this first gath- women began to affirm and discuss their experiences of ering with us as we hiked to the back of the canyon in the being single. This April weekend was the culmination of a early spring sun. We put up a tipi and began a circle filled year of smaller meetings. Some of us have felt single all of with dancing women. Dressed women, half-dressed women, our lives, others come from long term "marriages" with nude women moved slowly to the' music of the 'Trgnala women. For some of us, singleness was a political choice. Rumjana' dance. This Rumanian dance originally was done Others saw singleness as present circumstance. All of us in dresses laden with coins handed down from mother to were eager to share our life and our ideas. daughter, 'with the dancers lifting their legs slowly beneath As we assembled on Saturday morning, we drew our circle the weight of their costumes. The dance was a meditation, together with a song. We then began the impossible (?) task and it was followed by energetic Israeli dances that left of defining ourselves .... us panting. "Being single for me has been like another coming out. We then broke into smaller groups to talk about sex, a I was in a five year heavy monogamous relationship. I am scary, exciting topic to all of us. Some women felt one way breaking my conditioning about 'true love'. There is not to break down the exclusiveness, the oppressiveness of couple going to be one person who I will love and be loved by for- relationships was to be sexually open to more than one women ever. It's been hard to face the fact that needs change. I at a time. see now, that in the relationship I lost a lot of my self cen- We talked about new ways of physically loving each other, ter and became dependent." in threes, in circles, and how to create a safe space to test new ways. "I think a threesome is a very daring thing to do and very untraditional. Tradition is very powerful and secure. We have established rituals around sexuality such as going to a bar and going through a courtship and going to bed. Somehow we learned that ritual. But threesomes do not have much tradition yet. I think part of creating new traditions has to be intentional, seeking them, and talking' about them,' and yet at the same time. they must be organic." "I went into a retreat with a group of women doing meditation, dream work, role playing and massage. We made an agreement that we were going to validate each other all of the time. Every day we were constantly supporting each other. Everyone blossomed under it. We were also open with each other sexually. We constructed a ritual where we all .Q stood in a circle and kissed each other good night. In a ~ masturbation workshop we all made love to ourselves to- ..c'" gether in a circle. First we talked about it and did ex· .8 ercises. It was a sexual ritual that seemed safer than making o love to each other" ~ We found that all our conditioning around romance blocked "I lived with all couples for two years, and I felt one down. us from being loving and open with one another. And final- I knew who these women ultimately gave their primary ly brought us a lot of pain. energy to. I feel oppressed by the power dynamics involved. In closing, we felt' the weekend was merely the beginning Couples have 'a much stronger power position. They are two of a vision. A vision for single women to spend a longer and carry that power and sometimes that feels like twice period of time together in the summer. As single women 'as much power as I have." . •. we experienced the significance of working on our feelings "I see a close relationship between capitalism and coupling. in a group, not in isolation. We felt the impact of sharing Capitalism is ownership of property, coupling is ownership our feelings and vulnerabilities with more than just one woo of people. In capitalist society, we learn that there is not man. We began the hard task of working through our [ea- enough to go around, so we compete for it and when we lousies, dependencies and feelings of exclusion in a circle. get it we hold on. 'Possessiveness' in love relationships.is It is important for single women to find each other and based on the assumption that there is not enough love to know we are not alone. 4 Lesbian Tide ·PROrILE: \Ginny Berson Burning Out Is NotAn,Option by Sharon McDonald

I'm much. more tolerant of change and transition than I was. Too many women have walked through our doors as straight women and walked out as lesbians for me to haue the same kind of hostility to straight women that I used to have. One of the best things that can happen to lesbians is for there to be more lesbians. Walking into Ginny Berson's house, the first thing that bits me is the five foot xerox machine in the hallway. A sign on it reads, "This is Old Paint. Do not abuse her." When I, remark that a xer~ of one's own is many an activists dream she agrees, "Anytime, day or night, I can make a copy. It's 11 fantasy come true. But Olivia was a long time coming for Ginny. "As a child, my DREAM was to play for the New York Yankees, or if I couldn't do that, to be president, or if I couldn't do that, to be a rabbi." Her lower middle class Jewish family never discouraged her unstereotypic ambitions, -c ~ but also never recognized their implications. The activitism ?-, that was to later take her to The Furies and Olivia was evident -c .•o.... by the time she got to college in the late sixties. o "We had a three day fast. We were so naive, we actually 0:; believed if Lyndon Johnson knew 75 Mount Holyoak stud- "After that I started going to Women's Liberation meetings ents were fasting for three days he'd stop the war." in D.C. and learned I didn't have to worry about men. And I ."Straightening Out" in the Peace Corps didn't have to worry about being a lesbian because I wasn't a "After college I was going crazy with so many things I lesbian, I just didn't like men! But in September of 1970, didn't know how to deal with: the war, being a woman, being an old friend from Mount Holyoak told me she thought a lesbian. I did' the classic thing, I joined the Peace Corp. I she was a lesbian 'and I immediately said, 'Oh God, so am I.' " was sent to Panama. Do you know that Panama became a state Ginny's parents were less than delighted with her emerging because the U.S. wanted to build a canal? Imagine having politics. "My father thoughtI was a communist and I should your independence (from Columbia) bought for you." go to Russia. He said I would have to give up chicken soup. "Down there I made friends with a faggot who was the When my sister told my mother I was a lesbian her first reo first person I told I was gay. We decided we were both gay action was, 'I'm gonna throw up.' " because we'd had problems with our fathers, and that we Living (Briefly) With Lesbians could be straight if we wanted. He went off to a whorehouse In the' spring of 1971, Berson and 7 other lesbians set to get cured, and I straightened my hair and started wearing up a household. "That lasted one week. It split up ove\ class. makeup and dresses. I found a nice guy and really worked Three of us were middle class and downwardly mobile, and on it, but I'd conveniently forget to take my pill a lot so five were working class and upwardly mobile. None of the Icould say, 'Oops, we can't do it tonight.' " middle class women had jobs, and .all of the working class women did. We were really very oppressive to the working "My father thought I was a Communist, class women. We thought we had to share everything, while the working class women wanted to own what they'd worked and should go to Russia ... and give up for. We thought clothes weren't important; they had to have chicken soup." good, clean clothes to go to work. This was the beginning of my education around class." The Furies Form Back from Panama, Ginny took a job writing for Hard "Right around that time the gay/straight split began in Times, an alternative newspaer in Washington, D.C. She wrote Washington and the shit really hit the fan. The Lesbian Move- political analysis, traveled the country doing stories on movement began. Several of us formed The Furies (a lesbian sep- ment politics, and thought the Women's Movement was silly. ~ratist collective that putout a newspaper by the same name): "In February of 1970 I was in a demonstration at the Charlotte Bunch (now with Quest), Jennifer Woodul (Olivia), Watergate Hotel the day Jlfter the Chicago 7 sentencing. I Coletta Reid (Diana Press), Joan Biren (Moonface Media), got thrown in jail with some other women. Some of them were Helaine Harris (Women in Distribution), Rita Mae Brown in bad shape, including one add freakout. I was scared, but (Rubyfruit Jungle, In Her Day, Plain Brown Rapper), and! this was the first time I'd ever met feminists. It was the first others. We wanted to do political analysis, to find each other and develop stratagies" . time I'd ever shared a situation with other women in a conscious way. They were wonderful." "I had spent the last year smoking dope and listening

Jan./Feb.5 L.A.·Strangler------A Matter of Rape and Death

Black robed feminists memorailize strangled victims at"demonstration on Los Angeles City Hall steps. Ay Sharon McDonald

. In the wake of 13 recent rape-murders, Los Angeles women are making horrifying realizations about their own safety that no amount of feminist propaganda could have inspired. The crimes of the ma1t called the Hillside Strangler have focused new attention on the issues of women and self-defense, police incompetence, prostitution, and for us, the lesbian lifestyle itself. In the weeks of conflicting news reports that have followed the first death through the current toll, three things have been consistent: the rising horror and conscio~sness of women, the carelessness and inefficiency of police, and the steadily climbing death count. The Hillside Strangler, so named by the media because crisis center hotline numbers. The Los Angeles City Council, many of the victims' bodies were found in a hilly area of the the County Board of Supervisors, a television station and a city, killed Yolanda Washington, a young black woman, by private citizen have put up reward money that totals $140,000 strangulation on October 18,1977. In a little over one.month, for a clue that will stop the Hillside Strangler. And the killings 12 other women joined Yolanda in the morgue, all strangled. ·continue. The victims were black, chicana and white, and ranged in age from 12 to 28. Some had been raped and sodomized. Those Consciousness has been rising in are the details of these particular crimes. But the orily real difference. between the man called the Hillside Strangler and proportion to the death toll. every other rapist and killer of women is that he is more con- sister.tand more blatant. Not all community reaction has been helpful. A hair salon LAPD Mulls Over Evidence ran an ad in Los Angeles Magazine with a photo of a woman The Los Angeles Police Department has been joined in its being strangled. The local N.O.W. chapter immediately or- investigation by the Glendale Police Department, the Pasadena ganized a picket in front of the salon. Police Department, the County Sheriff's Department, and the "We Refuse to be Terrorized" FBI. A special 55 officer Strangler Task Force has been set Suzanne Lacy, Leslie Labowitz and other L.A. feminists up. Local television stations are scheduling programing organized a memorial demonstration on December 13 to eu- about self-defense and newspersons are announcing rape logize the then 10 strangler victims and to encourage women

6 Lesbian Tide to fight back against attack. Modeled after a funeral proces- to a lesbian, He said if a lesbian talked to him while he mas- sion, a hearse )'and 21 cars drove to City Hall, Police said turbated that it would save two women's lives. From the very there would beno official escort. Said one officer on the first, the agency tried to get the police to investigate the scene "You're not a real funeral, there's no dead body." calls, but each time they were told that the report would be A woman replied, ''What do you mean, there are ten of passed along. Each time they called back there was no record them!" of their previous calls. By the time the police finally said they The women called for self-defense training in the public would investigate, the calls had stopped. schools at all levels, and for special emergency listing of the A Lesbian Blind Spot rape crisis hotline numbers in the telephone books (Pacific Most lesbian women work, many of us at non-traditional and General Telephone Companies had refused to list rape jobs, and doing political work that gets us out into streets hotline numbers with other emergency numbers like fire and and parking lots at "odd" times for women-like any time police, but are now reconsidering), and for more funding other than daylight hours. Many of us dress in a more "mas- for rape prevention projects. ' culine" style than might generally attract the casual sexual One supporter of the demonstration complained that interest of men. We are used to taking these freedoms for the demands were minimal and primarily dealt with rape after granted. We are used to men not mattering to us. We forget the fact. "We need to get a lot tougher in our demands, push that while we consciously or unconsciously decided to ex- for prosecution of=rapists and stiff sentences. It's good to clude men from our lives, they did not likewise exclude us. counsel women after they've been raped, but I want rape stop- This was brought home recently by the rape of a woman in ped before it h~ppens." our community who had always disdained men, carried a knife, and seemed the very picture of' indomitable dyke strength. Reactions in the lesbian community carried shock In the time that'the strangler murdered and surprise. Even we, political consciousness notwithstanding, 10 women, 388 women were raped by had emotinally expected that rape was something that hap- other men in L.A. pened to those other women, the ones in skirts and makeup. Particularly for the most radical, our blind spot of re- It felt good to be there, it felt good to see women saying fusal to deal with men in our personal lives has led us to no to terrorism. That night another woman was strangled. feel we are somehow immune. We are not. To the rapist, Police Inefficiency there is no such thing as seperatism. A second and very different demonstration took place a . . Fight for Our Future few days later at the Strangler Task Force Headquarters in The increased awareness and interest in self-defense.among downtown L.A. While the first event spoke to the killings straight, non-feminist women is the one thing the Hillside themselves, the second protested -the casual attitude of the Strangler has done for women, in much the same way that police. Two incidents in particular serve to illustrate the Anita Bryant's cruel crusade served to catapult many gays protestors' point. into active' places in the gay rights movement. Conscious- On the night of December 13, an outcall sex service sent ness among women has been rising in direct proportion to Kimberly Diane Martin to a Hollywood address. Normal the rising death toll. procedure is for the woman to check back with the service It remains to be seen whether the insights gained from tnese when she arrives at the customer's home. when they didn't tragedies will still motivate us to protect ourselves after the hear from her, they called Lois Lee, a sociologist working Hillside Strangler is out of the headlines. In the period of time with CAT, the legal arm of COYOTE (a prostitute's rights that the Hillside Strangler raped and murdered 10 women, organization). Lee .immediately called the Los Angeles 388 others were raped by other men in the Los Angeles Police Department. It was then 10 p.m. area. The danger does not lie in anyone man. Rapes and mur- For three and one half hours, Lee had tried to file a report ders of women will not stop with one man's apprehension. on a missing woman. For three and one half hours she was shuffled from one department and telephone line to another. To a rapist, there is no Five hours after the report was finally filed, the body of Kim- berly Diane Martin was found, strangled. such thing as separatism. The LAPD had told press weeks before that night that they A relative of one of the murdered women was asked why were investigating the disappearences of females immediately. she thought this had happened. She said, "Because she was There was no explanation for the delay in police action a woman." In the simplicity and sadness of that answer lies in the disapperance of Kimberly Martin. the key to this and all the other tragedies. Fear and danger Prostitues Unprotected are the birthrights or every girl child born into a world that "If I could have got one woman on the phone she would allows the slaughter of women. It is not enough to work har- have understood the urgency immediately and she would der to prosecute the rapists we do catch, because as long as have got a car out to me right away." Lee also feels that there is one rapist on the streets, any 1'2 year old girl can have the police department's attitude toward prostitutes is one rea- her life choked out of her. It is not the answer to tell women son Kimberly Martin is dead today. "They don't take at- to stay at home when thousands of us are raped and beaten tacks on prostitutes seriously. If a man can kill a prostitute in our homes, and when economic necessity as well as our and get away with it, he can kill any woman." own happiness demand our mobility and freedom. To Save Two Women's Lives When it is as dangerous for a man to attack a woman as .A second glaring example of police disinterest in L.A. it is for him to attack another man, the incidence of rape women's safety occured during the month of December will go down. Whe~ women are armed and if assaulted, dan- at a Los Angeles women's social service agency. A man called gerous, the incidence of rape will go down. When women stand the agency on approximately 10' separate occasions, iden- a FIGHTING CHANCE of doing unto an attacker as he would tifying himself as the Hillside Strangler and asked to speak do unto us, the incidence of rape will go down.

Jan./Feb.7 The Polities 01 Ballisties

, This article is excerpted from a feminist pamphlet on guns that has been circulating qs an underground xerox in the women:5 community recently. It was written by a group of women (origins unknown) who state: , "While in the process of trying to find out more about guns, we realized how difficult it is for a woman to get the necessary information. It could be difficult enough or frightening enough for her to give up entirely. The same mystique that keeps us isoiated, un- conscious, and vulnerable, also keeps us unarmed.

Women often relate one of three ways to a gun: "It's Remember that the reason for owning a gun is to make horrible, male, and deadly; I won't go near it." "I don't like your life safer, If you are going to be serious about protecting guns at all, but they seem to be the only way 'I can success- yourself, you have to be serious about safety in how you fully defend myself, so I carry one," "I love guns, I go shoot- handle your gun and, in where you keep it. It may sound ing on the range lots, and I have the cutest little set of re- like it's just too dangerous to own a gun. That's why it's volvers, automatics and antique rifles that you've ever seen. important to know and observe all safety rules. We 'strongly Next week I'm getting a cannon." The last may seem a little feel that IF YOU DO OBSERVE SAFETY RULES, IT IS weird, but imagine getting yourself a sweet little .38 special VERY MUCH LESS DANGEROUS TO HAVE A GUN snubnose that goes with you everywhere and you realir o AROUND THAN NOT TO HAVE ONE., For every story that FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE YOU ARE NOT AFRAID- of an injury caused by a gun, we all know a hundred stories not when you sleep at night, not when you take a walk of women who were terroized, hurt, or killed because they alone in the woods, not when you' go to the corner store- didn't have guns. ' then you almost begin to like that male death machine which will protect your female life. Then it's not so weird to get There isn't any way it can shoot at yoJ excited about learning to shoot well- and it's a real skill. as you walk past your dresser drawer. And you never know what fear you've been living hi until it's gone, Many of us think of guns the way we think of cars. We The first difficulty' in obtaining gun consciousness is that may not really like them, we know that they kill (cars, most women are taught that guns are out of their realm of actually, far more so than guns), but still they can become reality-like high paying jobs and self-respect. And that is part of our lives-contributing to our survival, our sense of part of the male propaganda+that women be afraid of guns- control and comfort. And we try to keep these dangerous because men are afraid of women and a woman with a gun possessions as safe I,IS possible by using them with clear heads in her hand is indeed a wonderful fright. Until the and following safety rules. Another thing. A car's brakes can slip, it can roll over some- Women are taught that 'guns are out of body all by itself. Guns aren't made like that-the' firing pin cannot set off the primer unless you pull the trigger. There their realm of reality -like high-paying just isn't any way it can shoot at you as you walk past your jobs and self-respect. dresser drawer! About children, Think the way you do about yourself. last couple decades (and still in most rural areas today) guns Certainly a gun could kill them-but one reason to have a were as natural a part of someone's life as a screwdriver gun is to protect them. And if you can make them and their or can opener. Everyone had one and knew how to use one, friends safe around medicines in your house and around chem- including many women. Guns were' used for protection and icals you might have under your sink, and around your gas to get food. Once you get past the psychological hurdle of and electric appliances and tools, surely you can make them getting a gun, in most places you can indeed 'walk in a store, safe around your gun with some careful thought. order a gun, wait the legal length of time, and go home with a We firmly believe that if you have a gun you should learn gun of your own-a gun of one's own! to use it. A few of us were scared 8 Lesbian Tide of our guns and regarded them as alien rather than the friends and comforts that they are. It wasn't clear that in a tense situation we would have been able to overcome that fear of the unk~-~~tofh;-them. A few times at the gun range took away that strangeness-the guns became something that we understood, controlled and loved. Once the mystery is gone, a gun will probably seem like an integral and pleasant part of your life. No one really knows if she will be able to shoot someone if she has to-but pulling a load- ed gun and not being prepared to follow through is worse and more dangerous than not having a gun at all. Thoughts on Inez The situation of Inez Garcia has meant that a lot of women are more afraid of the consequences of defending themselves with a gun, when actually it should help women to decide their only choice is to pick up a gun. The tragedy of Inez's situation is that she was not able to shoot her attackers before she was raped. -'\ If Inez's case was presented somewhat differently, however, it may have been easier for the court to understand: as ludicrous and absurd as it may sound, if it was not a case of rape but instead a case of Inez saying she was trying to protect or retrieve her private property that had been stolen, then she may not even have been brought to court. Money is the one thing men understand, since it's their invention- and it's the only thing they can understand women killing anyone about. Money is sacred, but a woman's life is not- to male eyes. Even where it is legal "to carry a gun if you think your life or your property is in danger, if you're a there would be all kinds -of laws preventing me from getting woman; it had better be your property you've protected one legally or keeping it in a handy place where it would because they cannot understand how you can take seriously be most comforting and useful. It turned out that local laws an attack on your body. We are' expected to disarm our- here didn't make it very hard to buy and own a gun. And selves-for our own protection. This means open season although it is a misdemeanor to carry a concealed firearm, on women by all men. When I first thought about buying myself a gun, I imagined continued on page 36 Aiming For Safety By Sharon McDonald members of a punk rock band." The women have harassed and physically assaulted him repeatedly. • . While stories of male violence against women are paraded *Oakland, California. Two women in separate incidents shot across the newspapers and television screen daily, the stories and killed prowlers through the doors of their homes. No of women everywhere who are fighting back are usually bur- charges were pressed. Ied in the back pages or never make it to the screen. Here are, *Palermo, Sicily. 20 women students captured a man who had J!ome recent' examples: been harassing them daily by exposing himself at the door of *National news: For the first time, statistics show that more their hotel. Several of the young women kept him distracted women are killing their husbands than are being killed by py talking to him while others ran around behind him and them. _ overpowered him. They turned him over to police, who ar- *Milan, Italy. 400 young women stormed a local high school, rested him. punching teachers and staff as they broke into a classroom. *Franklin, Tennessee. A man who had dated two women and They dragged an 18 year old boy out of the room and shoved somehow earned both their displeasure, had to go to court to him into the cafeteria where he was put on trial for raping his ask a judge to get the women to "leave me alone." The women girlfriend. He was found guilty, and beaten. When his male had harassed him by calling his, house 24 hours a day for classmates broke into the cafeteria, police had to be called to .weeks, sending the fire department ana an ambulance to his quell the riot. - house, making phony hotel and airline reservations in his name ...from Sister Courage via Lesbian Connection for Argentina, Hawaii, Memphis and Chattanooga, and leaving fPennsylvania. A woman was raped by her husband. He then pork brains and liver on his back 'steps. The woman judge began to rape her daughter. She shot and killed him. Charges interrupted his testimony against the women to say, "I've were not filed against her. heard enough!" and advised, "I wish you girls would leave this ,..Marquette, Michigan. A battered woman shot and killed her man alone, and I think you know what I mean." husband 'as lie-entered her tront door. She was found innocent" *Garden Grove, California. Two men repeatedly raped a wom- of murder. . an in her home. They then told her to get them some beer *New York. Martin Evans has been having some problems from the refrigerator. She came back from the kitchen with a since being acquited of rape in 1975 when a male judge .22 rifle and chased them out of her house. ruled that it was no crime to "feed a gullible girl a line" and *Stockton, California. A woman's boyfriend threatened her that the woman involved was a victim of naivety and not rape. with a shotgun. She pulled a knife from her bathrobe and Since his acquital Evans has been attacked by "two feminist stabbed him to death. No charges were pressed.

Jan./Feb.9 - ;f r> eteria line on Monday, November 21, with seventy other sis- Those Lesbians ters, I stared at The Houston Chronicle. There we were, under 'Sadat Visits Israel'. "Support of Lesbian Rights Overwhelm- ingly Approved." T'he Houston Post ran the Lesbian Rights Are Everywhere! banner which had hung in the Convention hall on the front page. The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times by Jeanne Cordova graciously followed suite. We were front page stuff. For the thousands of lesbians in major American cities who watched Whether lesbian herstory remembers Houston 'as the end of the 72 hour gavel to gavel coverage on public television, we the gay-straight split, whether we successfully reap the re- could see and tell others, "this is what we mean by 'Lesbian wards of some three million dollars in free publicity, or Visibility'." whether our daughters write 'of this event as the birth impetus Indeed for lesbians, Houston was the first time we were seen of a truely national lesbian movement, Houston was a proud as more than the female half of the Gay Movement, more than moment for dykes. the Lavendar Menace of the Women's Movement. The power- Friends tell me I'm not a shy woman, out the overwhelming ful lesson of what lesbians learned in Houston became appar- reality of being packed into one wity with several thousand e,nt to me, when I attended a California state gay conference movement leaders was enough to empty my half gallo'n bottle two weeks later. For the first time I sat in a Lesbian Caucus of of Pepto Bismol. a gay 'conference and actually heard dykes debate whether or not lesbians should support the Gay Movement. As you may recall, yve usually sit and complain about how the Gay Move- ment is treating lesbians. While many gay men, and some lesbians, would cry out, "How can you even think of not supporting the Gay Movement in it's time of trial ... blah ... blah _ .. ", to me this strategic question represents lesbians seeing ourselves as capable of choosing whether or not we wish to be in partnership with men. The question reminds me of ~ how a straight friend once told me she reckons her coming "" out as a' feminist from the day she first decided she was ~ capable of leaving her husband. ' •.•.• National Muscle ~'" Embedded in this "outrageous" questioning of our role in 2 the Gay Movement, and embedded in the lessons of Houston ~ is a turning point for the Lesbian Movement. The attempt to .c pass the lesbian rights resolution marked the first nationally ~ co-Ordinated effort soley carried out by lesbians. The fact ~ that it was so successful means that it won't be the last, "We Are Everywhere" balloons huddled together in the outer halls as IWY lesbian Commissioner Jean O'Leary introduced the lesbian rights platform; "Madame Chair, I move the fol- Lesbian Feminism has grown like an un lowing resolution on Sexual Preference, 'Congress, states, , derground railroad network. and local legislatures should enact' legislation to eliminate discrimination on the basis of sexual and affectional preference The Women's Movement has its National Women's Political in areas including, but not limited to. employment, housing, Caucus and its National Organization for Women. The Gay public accommodations, credit, public facilities, government Movement has a nationally developed publications network funding and the military. and the National Gay Task Force. Up until Houston, the Les- State legislatures should reform their penal code or repeal state laws that restrict provate sexual behavior between con- bian Movement has consisted of thousands of small collec- senting adults. tives, service projects and local organizations, Lesbian Fem- State legislatures should enact legislation that would pro- inism has grown like an underground railroad network, ex- hibit consideration of sexual or affectional orientation as a cept of course, we know all the rails have never been connect- factor in any judicial determination of child custody or visi- ed: To date the greatest strength and greatest weakness of the tation rights. Rather, child custody cases should be evaluated Lesbian Movement has been its diversity and fragmentation. solely on the merits of which party is the better parent, with- In Houston I saw and heard pockets of lesbians excitedly: out regard to that person's sexual and affectional orientation.' ' discussing the possibility of national organizations, feder- Front Page Stuff ations, and networks. Whether or not such plans come to For lesblans, the significance of what happened in Houston fruitation is less important than the fact that lesbians have stretches far beyond a report that goes to Congress and the become aware of a larger sense of our own power. A Strategic Reputation President and mayor may not get acted upon in piece meal over the next century. In the halls, on the floor, in the airplane, I heard straigh women comment, ''Those lesbians are well organized .. Houston did what Bryant, the Gay Movement and the they're everywhere! They've got their act together." Whil Women's Movement couldn't do for lesbians. It said the the Black Caucus was unofficially spoken as the "loudes word lesbian loud and clear over the front pages of most and pushiest" group (a strategy which worked well for them) major newspapers in this country. Sipping milk in the caf- continued on page 12 10 Lesbian Tide 'One Coalition, Under Woman: Rhetoric B~comes Reality I, By Barbara Ruth in fact; the most time-consuming element on the convention floor was the press; who constantly had to be told to stop blocking the delegates' view. Also, every time a vote I had about given up on coalition. While I thought that the was taken (voting was indicated by standing up), the floor current groundswell of right-wing activism+and especially, first had to be cleared of reporters. In general, the reporters their use of women's and gay issues as a rallying point+ from the straight press were the most rude. It seemed that the made coalition necessary, my experiences with trying to inconsiderateness of the reporter was directly proportionate build that coalition had discouraged me. Time after time, to the circulation of the paper. . groups that were working on gay rights were 'not dealing with their racism, anti-raeist groups were not dealing with their sexism, environmental groups were not addressing imperialism, etc., etc., etc. This is nothing new. Any radical, feminist, lesbian, anarchist, anti-imperialist, vegetarian sister knows what I'm talking about. My belief in the necessity of coalition had led me to keep' trying with mixed groups, even those controlled by men, hoping that eventually we'd all be able to get our act together. Recent experiences in Philadelphia (my home town) had led me to despair. Traveling around the- country had only reinforced that feeling, And then I came to Houston. And now, once again, I'm a believer. The broad-based, multi-racial coalition which we, in the women's movement, always wished we had, emerged one week in November. It emerged because of the International Women's Year meeting. It emerged on the conference' floor and in the streets of Houston. Twenty-six resolutions were drafted by the conference planning committee, based on the resolutions passed by the The rudeness of the reporter was directly proportional to the circulation of the. paper. state and U.S. territories conferences which took place last \\LAN summer. Any issue which was on the platform in at least 10 states was included in the proposed national plan of action (ProPlan). In Houston, this ProPlan was presented to the' \\ANI elected and appointed delegates for voting. Women who supported the various resolutions in ProPlan 510P (they ranged from Child Abuse to Reproductive Freedom '.\);. c'...) . to Sexual Preference) worked together and pledged to support the entire package of ProPlan resolutions. Some reputed Klansmen were upset at this sign and lesbians . They honored that pledge. Every resolution but one chanting, "KKK, Scum of the land." Throughout the Con- passed.": There was none of the dirty politics which we've ference bull horn shouting Christians warned of eternal damn- come to expect from male-dominated national conventions. ation and other woes. Some resolutions were amended by substitution on the floor. In most c~ses (e.g. Disabled Women, Minority Women Off the convention floor, delegates went to the caucuses and Welfare), these amendments were stronger and more of special interest groups '£0 which they did not belong (i.e. radical .than the original resolutions. The strategy of all the able-bodied women went to the disabled caucus, straight ProPlan delegates was to keep things moving so that every women went to the lesbian caucus)" not out of curiosity or issue could be heard. Never have I seen so many people work condescention, but sincerly wishing to learn from all sisters together so well. Every group supporting a specific resolution with whom they had common cause. Finally, different groups exercised discipline, and sincerely tried not to take up too were making the connections. ' much tiine, either in presenting their resolution, or in the There was a lot of fear, coming in to Houston. Many of us victory demonstration after its passage. anticipated right-wing extremist violence. The Klan, the Amer- . continued on page 13 Jan./Feb.11 great (however backward) ladies of the 2nd Wave of. Feminism, no speaker was the subject of more flashbulbs. When Betty

Friedan rose to speak in support of the gay resolution, "I I

don't believe it!" and "fuck!" were two of the more print- I able comments I overheard. Friedan's speech (see Documen- tary) was more than Betty's "Last Hurrah." It was Friedan who initiated the now infamous gay- straight split. It was Friedan who in the early sixties first Convention microphones for the Sexual Preference Resolution dubbed us 'the lavender herrings' of the Women's Movement. and Chairwoman Ann Saunier suspended Parlimentary Pro- It was Friedan who in 1970 used the lesbian issue as a tool cedure by asking us to step aside and let our opposition to have Dolores Alexander, then Executive Director of N.O.W. speak against us. Indeed, from the beginning of the IWY fired. Those were the months of what then New York N.O.W. scenario last sPring, lesbians were two steps ahead of everyone. President Ivy Bottini called "the great purge", as the Returning home I told my lover of this curious new mys- lavendar scare went through America's largest feminist or- tique of the lesbian-as-more-intelligent, "It's not intelligence," ganization, and hundreds of lesbians left N.O.W. never to she humbly explained, "it's attitude! A straight woman' return. It was Dolores Alezander who first approached Fried- always has the option to let someone else take care of her. an about speaking in Houston, and Alexander who actually Her man is her option." , wrote part of Friedan's speech. "It was ironic because I was straight in 1970," Alexander explained. "When I first suggest- • ed she might speak in Houston Betty said 'No, why should I?' I told her, 'It would be a great unifying force. It would make an awful lot of women fell better.' Betty felt lesbianism would hurt the future of the ERA, so I told her why don't • you say the ERA won't help lesbians so they need their own resolution." As Alexander relates, Friedan thought this was a brilliant out. The rest is history. Asked if she felt Friedan's speech was effective Alexander confirmed, "to the extent that she issued an apology to lesbians, yes." Minority Women Among the more important events in Houston that re"' ceived almost no media attention was the interrelationship of radicals and women who would make my mother look like a swinger. There was no camera on that historic moment I sat down to talk strategy with a sister chicana delegate and saw in a second to quick to capture on film, her real- ization that she was sitting next to a l-e-s-b-i-a-n. There was no microphone present when a straight, white, older, Repub- lican office holder, delegate told me, "A year ago I would never have thought I could, would, actually work with members of your ... ah .. .lifestyle." I had no pencil or 'paper to describe how oddly sad I felt sitting quietly in the back row of the Latina caucus. Sadness for me, a latina by birth, who doesn't know her heritage. Sadness knowing what the oppressive straightness of the room must .mean for any closet latina lesbian sitting there. Sadness realizing how great the ignorance is between 'sisters' from different culture. Sad when I introduced myself as the Latina Liason from the Lesbian Caucus and was hushed by one of their leaders. Lesbianism was an unmentionable still in this room. Yet after two hours

/ So there we: were in Houston, optionless. And there we of listening much of the sadness had turned into a new under- fought, shrewdly, thoughtfully, deliberately. And though standing; women of color are not in our movement because it's a debatable compliment, New York delegate Ginny Apuz- most of them are in their own movement, in their own or- zo related to me over breakfast that even our enemies recog- ganizations, fighting on their own turf, for their own issues. nized our determination. She had been sitting directly in front The true measure of whatever sisterhood really exists between of the five male (reportedly KKK) Mississippi delegates, women of the world will emerge in places like Houston where during the conference. Apuzzo confided with relish, "I'd we come together over issues that mean change. Where we been working on this one guy during the whole weekend. understand with our eyes and hearts those differences we When the Sexual Preference issue passed, he stood up, shook have been taught to fear. my hand, and said, 'You guys deserved that one.' " , You're Out of Order Friedan Concedes to The Lavendar Meance There was little time to digest the myths and clicks ex- Yes, even Betty agreed we had it coming. As one of the ploding around me because it was time for yet another Les- 12 Lesbian Tide bian Caucus. From all available sources 1 have determined that there were 'ei{ht Lesbian Caucuses in Houston those four days. And those were only the delegates' caucuses, and 1, only the one~ 1 knew about. Attending caucuses perhaps y breeds inteligence, 1 consoled myself walking into the' Fri- 'I day afternoon session on "How To Use Parlimentary Pro- t- cedure and Survive." 'It is said that knowing Parlimentary Pro- t- cedure is about as basic to being political as .knowing how to change a tire is to owning a car, So let me now note, Lesb- ian Nation is safe, at least on this one score. 1 estimate there t are no less than several hundred. PP lesbian experts running around the country this very moment. ,I If you can imaging this one. woman teaching fifty dykes the use of a male political tool that half of us didn't believe in"you have to have met the determined Kay Whitlock. Com- e. . Ing from a background of determination as the Co-ordinator of N.O.W.'s National Task Force on Sexuality & Lesbianism Whitlock was a study in perserverance. We, her. pupils, were a study in frustration. "You're out of order, you can't do that!" Whitlock chastized 13 times the first hour. ''Well how •... the hell can 1 say what 1 want to, then?" queried the hand ~ <:l still waving in the air. Although few of us had the oppor- -S tunity to put our new skill to use that weekend, like good "- scouts, we were well prepared! ~ ~'" ::l c One Coalition, Under Woman >Q continued from 11 , •... ..c ican Nazi Party, the John Birch Society and others, had all .2 promised to be on hand to protect "their women" from, c "militant lesbians" and to disrupt the proceedings. s:; Native American women state their issue clearly. When the But the power of the right-wing, both on the conference chair complained that she couldn't understand a chicana floor and in the streets, had beer\. greatly overated. There was who was 'addressing her in Spanish, the woman challenged, only one confrontation: On Saturday, after a leftist rallv "We understand you, so we don't need an interpretor. You entitled "Beyond ERA", about twenty counter-demonstra- don't understand us,so you need an interpretor." tors appeared with misspelled signs and hostile remarks. The group identified itself as the Christian Defense League. (One Rather, they acted out of righteous anger and loving concern demonstrator'said he was a member of the KKK as well.) Their for each other's safety, signs indicated their disapproval of abortion, lesbianism, Th~ whole exchange was observed, at a considerable dist- ERA, communism and IWY. At least one of these men hit ance, by members of the Justice Department, who were at least one feminist. Other IWY women were pushed and alledgedly jin Houston to help keep the peace during the shoved. The women at the rally-radical women of divergent conference. It wasn't until the two groups had seperated backgrounds and. lifestyles-immediately banded together, and the Christian Defense League members were beginning handling a potentially explosive situation efficiently and with- to leave, that the Feds strolled over to check out the situation. out anyone getting seriously hurt. As soon as the Christian The woman who had been hit demanded that her assailant Defense' League started menacing them, the radical women be arrested. (His handprint was still clearly visible on her began shouting "Gay, Straight, Black, White. Same Struggle, face.) No arrests were made. Same Fight." . , The week-end in general 'and this incident in particular convinced me that coa\i.tion is indeed possible. I'm willing Radical women were not assuming the, to' work with straight women and with women who do not arrogant postures so typical of the male call themselves feminists. 1 am willing to work with mixed groups. What 1 am not willing to work with is male leader- left. ' ship. It is apparent to me that men do"not have sufficient 'This solidarity on the basis of gender-more than that, commitment, courage or concern to be trusted as leaders. on the basis of women-identification- was one of the most Perhaps -in time they will acquire these attributes. But here profound moments of my political life. Rhetoric had become and now our leaders must be women, women-identified reality. Yes, there were men in the IWY crowd. And there women who have the combination 'of courage, concern were a few women in the Christian Defense League. (They and commitment which is known as sisterhood. Sisterhood is identified themselves as Los Angeles -White Women. But powerful. It is so powerful it might even s~ve a few brothers, unmistakably, the radicals were under female leadership providing they: have the good sense and good grace to get and the right-wingers were under male leadership. The dif- behind it. ferences in the governing principles of the two groups were *The final resolution (they were introduced in alphabetical' evident in the facial expressions, body language and behavior order) called for the creation of a cabinet-level Women's of each group's individual members. The radical women were Bureau, Many feminists felt tiiat this smacked of ghetto- not assuming the arrogant postures so typical of the male left. ization and voted against it. The resolution failed, Jan./Feb.13 Immediately after the passage of the Sexual Preference Re- solution hundreds of lesbians met for a spontaneous cele- bration rally outside the Convention hall. This was the banner which hung in the rear of the hall as the lesbian issue was de- bated. Obviously one slightly young woman couldn't resist taking center stage.

Ellie Smeal, National president of the National Organization for Women speaks on the floor to the issue of lesbian rights: "I rise as the President of the largest and strongrst feminist organization in the world, . _ . I rise because I know that this is a profound feminist issue. (applause). This is a feminist issue because discrimination against women begins as the basis of sexuality. There are double standards, One standard for males, another for females, One standard for heterosexuals, another for homosexuals. And all these double standards and the issue of sexuality work to keep women in their place. This profound human issue is not only one of human rights, but is one of feminism. We must be free to develop all of our potential and we must not oppress any part of our society or womanhood. Human rights are indivisible and all women when we march together in equality must march as heterosexuals and homosexuals, minority women and majority women, rich and poor. (excerpted)

DELEGATE FROM WASHINGTON D.C.: Charlotte Bunch (Quest); "I want to point out that this issue is one of the issues Delegate Avenididas: Last night I rejoiced in the resounding that is in fact brought to you by the grass roots of state con- victory of this body's approval of the ERA. This 'will gurantee ferences. There is a mandate from thirty Conferences that this my equal protection under the law as a woman, Earlier today I issue is. indeed a woman's issue. A woman's issue of great once again rejoiced because my rights as a chicana had be- concern in a majority of our states . . . . This resolution is come a recommendation at the historic Conference. Now I not only for lesbians. This resolution is for all women. For all proudly rise in support of the proposed Sexual Preference women whose choices in life are in fact constrained by the recommendation which will eliminate the third barrier that fear and threat of being called a lesbian." prevents my opportunity for full equality and full civil rights.

14 Lesbian Tide ------

Black lesbia~ activi~t'from New York , Betty Powell (see cover) tells the Convention: "The totally false stereotypic image of 'man-hating queer' still runs rampant in the land, "This lesbian invisibility, like the invisibility of all minorities, negatively perceived ,by society has for so long, too long now, fostered only ignorance of our persons, our values, our actual lifestyles ... which are as rich and diverse as we are in number. And also ignorance of the effects of legal,social, and economic discrimination on our lives. "But we're all of us, all women, moving into a new day now. Black, brown, red, yellow, and white, old, young, impri- soned and disabled, we're beginning to see ourselves and each other more clearly. And clearest of all is the fact that the op- pressions that we suffer, as distinct and varied 'as-they are, stem almost universally from simply being woman in this world. For the woman labeled lesbian in a male defined society, we are not only denied, but despised and made to suffer deeply because we love another human person of the same gender, and most importantly, because we have not given "our primary love and affection, like committment and support to human persons of the opposite gender--that is, men .. For this unpardonable offense+Lffv Ee-and this alone, lesbians Jive daily under the threat of legal sanction and the reality of social ostracism. "Just as lesbians who are feminist cannot, and will never seperate our struggle or, withhold our support from the 'struggles of all women. and all oppressed people, we hope you will support the resolution before you." (excerpted)

CALIFORNIA DELE!}AT,E: Jeanne Cordova(Lesbian Tide); I would like to clarify for this body that lesbianism is more than an issue of sexual preferences. If is an issue of civil rights. It is a lifestyle which encompasses all aspects of living, working together, building together, loving together, and developing a politic which supports women identification. We are women from every state. We are in the labor unions and in the fae- tories, secretaries and carpenters, teachers and professionals ... and mothers. And sometimes still wives. We are women of all colors and races. We are women everywhere: We have been fighting alongside and in the forefront of all the national women's struggles' from South Africa to Chili,' from Viet Nam to Florida. We therefore request that at the conferences to come w~ be placed under "L" 'for Lesbian.

The official 'blank stare' of the anti-femihists. These care- fully groomed ladies solidified themselves with yellow runners \ which read, "Majority." In case you can't make it out clearly, the button on' her left shoulder really does say, "Christ, Me & Anita B." After observing that so 'many Schlaflies appeared The women of the National Gay Task Force: (left to right) vacated from the nose up, one sister suggested that they Frances Dougherty, Pokey Anderson, unknown, Jean O'Leary had overdosed on heterosexuality. (at mike), Ginny Vida, and Betty Powell.

Jan./Feb. 15 , . a~'cr A Less/Than Perfect Union by Kathleen Webb see the "more equals'l.put it. There were some real logistical problems, like the fact IWY was undoubtedly a victory for the feminist and lesbian that delegates were all in seperate hotels from non-delegates movements, but it left a bad taste in the mouth of many and we were seperated at the conference itself into delegate non-delegate lesbians like 'myself. Much of the problem can and observer sections. But the physical seperation was ex- be called structural. Thousands of women were trying to pected: what was unexpected was the emotional seperation operate inside a totally male structure, and trying to communi- from women who came from our states, towns, lesbian rights cate with each other by speaking Robert's Rules of Order. groups, but who seemed to feel they had a mandate from There were bound to be some problems. But just because the Sappho. They set out to build Lesbian Nation from the gold boys had invented the game doesn't mean we have to play leaf roof down, when for years we had all been trying, to- it like they tell us to. I knew that, and lots of other non- gether, to build it from the ground and grassroots up. delegates knew that. Somebody should have told the dele- Another unexplained phenomenon at IWY was the fact gates. . that there were thousands of lesbians there, all of whom The first thing that was made clear to both delegates and seemed to have arrived on Sunday night just before the non-delegates in Houston was that everything was being taken Sexual Preference Resolution. Where were the lesbian dele- care of.' The lesbian caucuses I attended weren't strategy gates speaking out for other issues? There were exceptions: planning sessions, they were briefings. The plan had already Del Martin spoke to the battered wives resolution and Ginny been laid out before we got there'. It looked like New York Apuzzo added a strengthening amendment to the rape re- heavyweights and IWY Commissioners had organized the Pro- solution. But other than those two, the, lesbian delegates Plan strategy, and women from the National Gay Task Force seemed to be in hibernation, and the chance .to actively has mapped out the lesbian perticipation. And all of us who aid other feminist and minority causes was lost. So much had managed to get ourselves to Houston at our own expense for lesbian vis.ibility on Friday and Saturday. to work for our people stood wondering just what our job I was told that IWY lesbian Commissioner Jean O'Leary was. had tried and failed to get the lesbian rights resolution placed There seemed to be three basic attitudes delegates had under "L" in the Plan of Action. Instead: there we were under toward non-delegate women: 1. surprise from the delegates "Sexual Preference". We still have a long way to go before who didn't seem aware that a grassroots lesbian movement most of even our straight sisters understand lesbianism for the existed, to say nothing of having it show up in Houston, love and lifestyle that it is. 2. flat out embarrassment ("Just when we were getting The overall experience of Houston was a good one for somewhere the ones in the combat boots have to show up.") lesbians. But for our future, we must look at the mistakes and 3. pacification ("Keep 'em happy and maybe they won't we made there. We must find better ways to prevent male hold too many press conferences.") structures from dividing us. This becomes more important And given that we-were already put in an unequal position as we move into larger and more complex alliances with gay to begin with (no vote, no hotel, no plane ticket), these men, straight women, and other minorities. We don't attitudes on the part of "our leadership" didn't make matters need to always agree, but we. do needto keep talking to each better. It's one thing to be told by the government that some other. dykes 'are more equal than others, but it's quite another to

•... ~ :S'" ~ <1>. ~ ;:s c t:X::i•... .c .•c..• H 0 l' ~ Margaret Costanza, Presidential Assistant, addressed the body at the last plenary Monday morning. "I am woman and somehow today that has a whole new identity and a hell of a lot of pride. Whether the choice is for housewives, mothers, or assistants to the President, a woman must have the right Maya Angelou (left) and Coretta Scott King (right) take a to choose. ',' .1 am a woman and I want .the right to love moment to themselves on the front stage. Angelou., poet whomever I please without harrassmerit or fear of losing laureate of the Convention, read her poem when the runners my job .... 1 know President Carter will be sensitive and will arrived in Houston from Seneca Falls, New York. res ond. You can de end on that."

16 Lesbian Tide I

,Should Lesbians Support The Gay. Movement 'l by Rosalie Nichols

As early as 1955, when the Daughters of Bilitis was formed real COALITioN and not just another gay (male) organizat- by women withdrawing from the male-dominated Mattachine ion, they would have to in~lude feminist organizations because Society, lesbians have responded to invisibility within the gay THAT is where politically active lesbians have been working (male) movement by separation from. men, including ideo- for the last ten years. - logical divorce from male issues. As Del Martin (whom no one could accuse of being "rad- Is the gay cause ical") wrote at the beginning of her separatist phase, "Good- bye to the 'Police Beat'-the defense of washroom sex and defense of washroom sex? pornographic movies. That was never my bag anyway ...Good- bye to all the 'representative' homophile publications that By and large, the Coalition has made a sincere effort toward look more like magazines for male nudist colonies ...Goodbye a genuine alliance of male and female, gay and straight. But a to the Halloween Balls, the drag shows and the parties. It was recent controversy over sending Iesbians to the National Wom- fun while it lasted. But the humor has gone out of the game ... " en's Conference in Houston seems to indicate that there are Most politically active lesbians have gone through similar still gay male activists who do not understand (or care?) what phases of total with drawl when they could no longer stand the lesbians are doing. To them, we are still the "Other.'" approach-avoidance conflict of working with gay men. Whim called upon to support lesbian presence at the Wom- en's Conference, a Coalition board member characterized the Goodbye to all the "representative" IWY Women's Conference as "other than gay" and added gay papers that look like ads for male that the Coalition would then "logically" have to support "Chicano, Black or handicapped conventions" also. The im- nudist colonies. plication was that the Coalition was 'being asked to drain its resources off into "other" movements than the' gay rights As Dave Steward pointed out in his column in THE COVE- cause. NANT, Dec. '77, "the 'worst' thing that the general public thinks they can say about a male is that he is effeminate. Such attitudes show a generalized hatred for women on the part of the general public. Therefore, the proper response of a man who is 'accused' of being feminine is 'Thank You '." Yet when this question came up at Dave Kopay's talk in San Jose, his response was that he was proud to be a man because men have all the advantages (so tell me something new-women have always known that). And what are these male advantages? "Why, a man can be both the 'insertor' and the 'insertee.' It still escapes me why a man should be proud of being a prick and an asshole at the same time, but such an attitude shows that some men have yet a long way to go toward dis- covering their own humanity. As long as their basic identity, is in their genitals, they will continue to be poor allies in any humanitarian cause. This Phallic Phixation is so prevalent Is this the Gay Gay Gay Movement?

It's hard to support a movement that Irl the weeks preceding the IWY Conference, the members doesn't support. you. of the New Right descended on Houston. Opposition to the Conference Plan was strong. They focused on three main among gay men that Del Martin was prompted to write in her planks of the Plan over and over, which they described as separatist farewell, "As I bid you adieu, I leave each of you to "anti-family." These were (1) ERA, (2) Reproductive Rights, your own .device. Take care of it, stroke it gently, mouth and and (3) LESBIAN RIGHTS. fondle it. As the center of your consciousness, it's really all One of the chief arguments used against Equal Rights A- you have." And if you don't believe her, take a look at the re- mendment endorsement in the months preceding the Confer- cent "Cocksickle" ad in THE ADVOCATE. ence was that it would open the door for GAy RIGHTS AND It's hard to support a movement that does not support you. HOMOSEXUAL MARRIAGES. Last June, after the triumph of the New Right in Florida, The Reproductive Rights plank, which included abortion, many women decided to put separatist concerns aside for the birth control, and sex education, was objected to because interim to unite with gay men and straight allies against the . the Right-Wing Bigots object to any kind of NON-REPRO- immediate danger of a reactionary religious backlash. When DUCTIVE SEX: One of the arguments continually usedagain- the Santa Clara Valley Coalition for Human Rights was being st sex education in the schools is that is includes the teaching formed here, we tried to warn the men that if they wanted a of "alternative lifestyles" or HOMOSEXUALITY. (Does this continued on page 37 ~ Jan./Feb. 17 national news

transcends our differences. We want to make it clear that we Diana Press Ransacked do not consent to such violence. We consider that, whether by Shirl Buss perpetrated by men, or by women acting as the agents of men, Or by women expressing misdirected anger, such acts are October 25; vandals broke into the office of Diana Press ion acts of hatred toward women and women's culture. We as a Oakland. In one evening of vicious destruction, they severely group refuse the desperation that such acts engender, and ask crippled the press' operation and maimed the products of that we all work to transform this attack into affirmation of / years of work by its artists and authors. The vandals entered the power and significance of our work together by support- through a door improperly wired to the alarm system. They Ing Diana Press in this crisis." then methodically poured paint, ink, chemicals and Comet However, Janis Kelly(Off Our B~cks) in her analysis of the cleanser into the machines, presses and typesetting com- aftermath of the destruction tried to keep rampant paranoias posers. Inks and solvents were used to disable -whatever was in perspective. She contends, "In the absence of more evid- not totally destroyed, including the plates for books printed ence than just footprints, I think that reaching the conclusion during the last five years. Five thousand copies of Rita Mae that the vandals were movement women disaffected with Brown's A Plain Brown Rapper, ready for distribution, were Diana Press and FEN requires a large leap indeed. Disagree- wiped out. The paste-ups for at least three of Diana's fall ment does not automatically lead to violence." books were ripped up. And the office and bookeeping areas The vandalous act, however, appeared to have a premed- were dowsed in cliemicals, ransacked and strewn about. itated vicious intent. Much of the $40,000 worth of damage Speculations as to who committed the violence ranged from was an irretrievable loss. Colletta Reid, one of Diana's found- the government, the -new right-wing, local malevolents '-or ers said, "We would have been better off if they had destroy- someone within the movement who attacked for political ed one of the presses; then the insurance would have cover- reasons. ed it. But they were very smart; they wrecked it in such a Some small footprints were found. But the police refused way that it's hard to collect (insurance) for it." to take fingerprints as they felt it was an inside job and done Amidst the rage, rubble and debilitation, Diana 'intends to by someone "who would not have fingerprints on file." (?t stay alive. Already they are attempting to rectify their pre- The women of Diana clearly feel that it was the work of carious financial situation by selling their remaining inven- someone politically belligerent. tory and seeking support and contributions from feminists In a press release they stated: "Regardless of who person- throughout the country. Donations and direct orders can be ally and individually was responsible for this particular act of made by writing: Diana Press physical violence, it was made possible by the climate of gos- 4400 Market Street sip, trashing, back-biting and verbal violence that the move- Oakland, CA 94608 ment has encouraged about Diana Press and FEN (Femin- ist Economic Network) for the last two years. The movement is subject to infiltration 'only when it is divided again- Rights And Referendums st itself and unable to deal with political differences con- The Wichita, Kansas City Commission on September 27, structively." 1977 gave final approval to an ordinance banning discrim- Women who have been heavily critical of the politics of ination in the areas of employment, housing and public ac- FEN, with which Diana has been associated, were quick to comodations on the basis of one's sexual and/or affectional sign a petition along with others who were strong support- preference and marital status. This ordinance was proposed ers of FEN. The petition states that. .."our agreement now and guided into law by the Homophile Alliance of Sedgwick County, a political organization composed of lesbians and gay men in the Wichita community. Purposes of the Alliance include passage of Wichita's Gay Rights Law, support of our Congressperson Dan Glickman for the Koch Bill, increasing the awareness of the general public to alternatives to traditional life styles, and taking- responsible political action as deemed necessary to gurantee free exercise of c-ivil rights without regard to affectional of sexual preference and marital statue. At this time a group in Wichita calling itself the Concerned Citizens for Community Standards has started a petition drive to obtain 9,815 signatures to have a referendum on the ordinance. They are working hard in Baptist Churches and the local Catholic Bishop has spoken out in support of their petition drive.

California Waits: All is quiet on the Western Front since the Attorney General invalidated 100,000 anti-gay signatures on the Briggs anti-gay teachers initiative late November. Senator Briggs was stopped in his drive to oust gay teachers from their jobs because his petitions had left off a sentence telling sign- 18 Lesbian Tide ers how much it would cost to implement his initiative. The They stated, "It is our hope that a national organization California Conference to defeat the Briggs initiative went off will provide lesbians in this country with a visible profile in December as planned however, and other statewide and lo- and national political clout." cal groups report they stand prepared if Briggs should at- One hundred representatives selected according to geo- tempt another signature drive. Briggs had refiled his petition 'graphic regions, will attend the convention. The convention with the Attorney General but thus far there are no reports is designed to be small enough to facilitate effective com- he is pursuing his much publicized goal to put gay teachers munication, and large enough to allow for a wide represen- on trial. . tative base, both. politically and geographically. Registration will be, on a first come first serve basis, sub- Eugene Fights: Not so lucky are Eiugene, Oregon gays who ject to the following criteris: All delegates will be: A) Lesbian are facing a spring referendum. Last November 'their City Feminists, B)Have been visibly active in the lesbian move- Council voted +twice, in favor of a gay rights ordinance on ment, C)Support the concept of some form of national lesbian housing and employment. When the original 5-3 vote was chal- organization and intend to work in or with such an organ- lenged and the subsequent vote came out again 5-3 for the gay ization D) Represent organizational diversity ; E) Send in rights measure, some conservative citizens were . still .not their registration coupon and check ($5.00) and receive an satisfied. As one woman said at a City Council meeting, "If official confirmation letter, F) Additionally, to insure that this we're going to legalize homosexuality we. might as well le- convention is truly a' national one, representatives will be galize sex with animals." registered according to a national quota system which is based A local right wing group called Voice then gathered enough on the relative amount of lesbian political activity in that area. signatures to bring the matter to a public referendum, Dade Regional co-ordinators are being set .up to ensure proper County style. Gays in Eugene are coalescing with other human representation and to act as a communication source for de- rights groups and have formed a Steering Committee of 30 legates in that region. persons to direct their educational campaign to win the Those who wish to be considered as a representative to the May 1978 referendum. There's a lot of education to be done, founding convention, and who meet the criteria, are urged to judging from the remark of one local conservative woman, .contact the. committee at 8706 Cadillac Ave., Los Angeles, "We want to keep Eugene white and middle class." California, 90034, for a registration coupon. . It is also projected that there will be a Fall National Con- D.C. Organizes: To head off a possible Miami style referendum vention open to all lesbians who have affiliated with the na- to repeal the city's gay rights law,' Washington D.C.'s leabian tional organization. and gay community has mobilized and formed Dialog For Further updates will be forthcoming. I Human Rights, an Ad Hoc Coalition. To fight the "strong The Ad Hoc Committee to Form a National Lesbian Or- groundswell of anti-gay sentiment" in Congress and the ganization, (Ivy Bottini, Jeanne Cordova, Judy Freespirit, city, the coalition is conducting, a "defense preparedness Sharon McDonald, Dara Robinson, Ariana, Joanne Parent). program," The program sponsors public education projects Women endoursing this convention and the concept of a as well as political planning sessions. They have. distributed a national lesbian organization are: Judy Freespirit, Lesbian series of 'pamphlets aimed at educating heterosexuals on gay FemJnists of Los Angeles, Jeanne Cordova, Lesbian Tide, / and lesbian politics, and lifestyles. 'For more information Ivy Bottini, California Conference, Brenda Weathers, Al- on the Coalition's activities call or write: Dialog for Human choholism Center for Women, Lani Silver, San Francisco: Rights 1724 20th St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 232·3915. Shelly Mandell, California State NOW Action Co-ordinator, .Linda Rawls, Los Angeles ACLU, Ginny Appuzo, National Convention Planned Gay Rights Lobby (New York), Mary Spottswood Pou, D.C. Feminist Alliance, Joanne Ramsey, NOW, Phyllis Lyon, San For National Lesbian Francisco, Linda Lovell, Lesberados/Houston, Betty Powell, Black Feminist, New York., Del Martin, Founder, D.O.B., Linda Fowler, Denver, Ann Daniel, Colorado Lesbian Fem- Organization inist Coalition for IWY, Denver, Jeri Dilno, Gay Community Los Angeles lesbians will host a founding convention of Service Center, San' Diego, Charlotte Bunch, Quest, Feminist the National Lesbian Organization. This historic event is set Quarterly, Jean 0 'Leary, NGTF, New York, Bobbie Bennett, for March 17 through March 19, 1978, at the Ramada Inn near New A.G.E" Diane Abbitt, Los Angeles NOW Lesbian Rights the Los Angeles Airport, with Del Martin as keynote speaker 'Task Force, Cathy Boyle, Lesbian Resouce Center Seattle to open. the convention, Washington, Robin Morgan, author. " Since the success of lesbian recognition at the IWY Con- ference in Houston in November, energy has been running high in lesbian communities across the country. Convention organizers felt "It is time to move and establish a structure to push forward with plans of action to achieve our goals." ~".-"ffIII..D Jan./Feb.19 --//--short currvnts------

AMAZON WARRIOR UNEARTHED IN RUSSIA bianpairs (and no gay males). Says Hunt: "It became ines- capable that there were two females in one nest, incubating Moscow, USSR: An Amazon warrior, buried with her infertile eggs with no sign of a male." war horse, spears, arrows and gold errings was unearthed Male Role: The husband-and-wife team, who work at the ~y Soviet archaeologists recently. The remains of the w!rrior, University of California at Irvine, also found female guns who lived in the 4th or 5th century B.C. were excavated acting out the male role. Such behavior included "courtship pear the Moldavian village of Balabany. The scientists were feeding," in which the nominal male regurgitates food for the working at a burial mound built by the Scythians, a nomadic female, and even attempts to mount the partner and copulate. tribe of ancient tirnds who roamed the areas north of the "The mountings were frequently back-to-front or sideways, Black Sea (S.F. Sentinel) because the birds were inexperienced at it," says Hunt. The lesbian gulls were also faithful to their mates. Some pairs monitored by the Hunts stayed together for at least three years. FLIPPING HETS THE BIRD

When ornithologists George and Molly Hunt started to observe the western gulls on Santa Barbara Island, 43 miles off Los Angeles, they were puzzled by nests containing extra eggs. Normally, a female gull never lays more than three. But what if there were two females using the same nest? That, discovered the Hunts, was the disconcerting answer-and even more disconcertingly, polygamy wasn't involved. Perhaps 150 of the island's 1,200 pairs of gulls turned out to be lesbian couples that nested together, defended their territory, and in- dulged in courtship in much the same way as heterosexual mates. This gay gull life, previously unknown in any species of wild bird, was so extraordinary that George Hunt initially refused to believe it. Yet, double-checking the'isex of gulls captured from individual nests, he found another and another of the les- Z BudQ~esl readstat~i.~

GOP WARNS AGAINST SCHLAFLY

HOUSTON, (UPI)-Former GOP 'chairman Mary Louise Smith said at the National Women's Conference that party leaders must decide how to prevent some Republican women from being "used" by the right wing. "Phyllis Schlafly is not a role model for Republican women," Mrs. Smith said, insisting that the majority of GOP women now view themselves as feminists.

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Jan./Feb.21 continued from 21 plicit language in a letter written to a friend on state IRS GRANTS STATUS stationary . Dr. Mondanaro, an acknowledged lesbian, said she was fired CINCINNA'rJ' OH- The Lesbian Activist Bureau, Inc., to avoid, political embarrassment for Brown, who is up for is the third homosexual group nationally to receive Internal reelection in 1978. The govenor admitted that he approved Revenue Service tax exempt status. The granting of the the firing of Dr. Mondanaro but added she was dismissed status is a turnabout in IRS attitudes towards homosexual for failing to "follow the standards of society." groups. Previously, the IRS denied this exemption to any (GCN) gay charitable cause .unless that particular cause voiced in its articles of incorporation amendments or bylaws that homo, FUTURE UNCERTAIN FOR ELAINE NOBLE sexuality "is a sickness, disturbance, or diseased pathology." This is no longer the case and in recent months. the status BOSTON-Reports have begun to circulate that Mass- was also granted to the Howard Brown Memorial Fund, achusetts State, Rep. Elaine Noble is considering challenging New York City, and Lambda Services, Denver. U.S. Senator Edward Brooke. Noble, the nation's first and The Lesbian Activist Bureau of Ohio was granted the only open lesbian legislator, told GCN, "A lot of people status on the basis of its purposes as a nonprofit corporation have approached me about it and I would not rule anything to educate the public on homosexuality and foster com- out." munity acceptance and promote civil, social and economic Noble has already announced that she will not be seeking equality for homosexuals. re-election, having decided not to run against her old po- (GCN) litical ally, Rep. Barney Frank, in the 1978 elections. Under the state's redistricting plan, the number of seats in the House BROWN MAY TESTIFY FOR LESBIAN was cut from 240 to 160; Noble and Frank's districts were virtually merged. SACREMENTO,CA-A lesbian who says she lost her job The political future of Elaine Noble seems at this time as the state's top drug abuse official for political reasons wants to be surrounded by little more than rumor and her own IGov. Jerry Brown to testify at -her dismissal hearing. J~_es decision to ''not rule anything out." There had been an Waller, a state Personnel Board hearing officer, said he will earlier indication that she might be interested in running for order Brown to testify if he feels the testimony by lower Boston City Council. That action, however, has seemingly officials requires it. "After we hear this evidence, then per- been stopped with the defeat of the Galvin Bill in the Nov- haps the governor's testimony mayor may not 'be impor- ember city-wide elections. The measure would have established tant to us," said Waller. district representation on the City Council. . The hearings, which began on Jan. 23, are on an appeal (GCN) by Dr. Josette Mondanaro of her dismissal as head of the CONFERENCE AWARDS GRANTS Dept. of Health's Division of Substance Abuse. Officials said Dr. Mondanaro was fired because she used sexually ex- The rare task of divyingup surplus monies in the feminist community was dealt with creatively by three committee members from The National Radical Feminist Convention. f!7/w f!jJ~ O)fcman, A national directory of women musicians is currently being organized. There will be directory listings for musicians, and display advertising for teachers and businesses. , / For further information contact: The Performing Woman FOR CURRENTLY UNATTACHED LESBIANS 26910 Grand View Hayward, California 94542 Single lesbian women will find 'new ways of (415) 881-1423 making contact with one another in the quest for love and relationship thru a series of leader conducted experiences. CONDUCTED BY BETTY BERZON, M.S. WOMEN'S CHOICE CLINIC • ~ FRIDAY EVENINGS: Complete Gynecological Services Pregnancy Screening V.D. Screening Pap (Cancer) Smears _:'A_llf~~~~;1MAY 26 Abortions Vaginal Infections After Care Urinary Infections ~..a. Birth Control Sickle Cell Test Continental Hyatt House, 8401. Sunset Boulevard, Counseling Routine Gyn Exams Los Angeles. Free self parking up the ramp (at left of the hotel entrance) to the 2nd or 3rd levels. For For information and appointments call: further information call Susan, 656-0258. ' FEMINIST WOMEN'S HEALTH CENTER 8 :00 pm to 10 :30 pm $7.50 per eve. $5.00 students (L.A.) (213) 936-'6293

22 Lesbian Tide The convention, which was held in York, Pennsylvania in NO TAKERS FOR ANITA'S NEW DISK 1975, ended with an unexpected surplus of $2,000.00. No plans were 'made in advance to deal with this possibility. A NASHVILLE, TN-According to her husband, Bob Green, committee waS' thus formed to distribute the remaining singer Anita Bryant is having trouble finding a producer tnoney. They had conference participants submit proposals, for her new record "There's Nothing Like the Love Between, for its, usage. The committee compiled the proposals and a Woman and a Man." then polled the conference participants to prioritize the In a telephone interview, Green told news sources, "The proposals. Based upon the poll results, the committee selec- record has nothing to do with a homosexual issue. It's just ted three groups among whom to divide the money. The a good country song about a normal relationship between a Lesbian Mother's Defense Fund in Seattle received $673.75 man and a woman, the child on the knee and all that stuff." (35%). Ozark Power and Light (OPAL), a women's land Green stated that several Nashville production companies trust in Missouri, received $577.50 (30%). And the Offense told him that the song "would be a hit, but the hierachy in Against Psychosurgery Fund of Hatfield, Mass. received New York had second thoughts about it. They said an Anita $673.75 (35%). Interest accrued while the money' sat in Bryant record would spoil their punk rock image." the Bay Area Feminist Federal Credit Union will be returned Refusing to identify the recording companies he had spoken to the credit union. with, Green concluded, "I think a small label could take something like this and really make a cause out of it." (Information from Darlene Pagano) (S.F. Sentinel)

SCHOLARS AGREE ON ERA EXTENSION WITCH WILL ADDRESS RELIGIOUS CONFERENCE

Two Yale legal scholars agree that Congress has the auth- ZsuZsanna E. Budapest, High Priestess of the Susan B. rity to extend the deadline for ratification to the E.R.A. Anthony Coven Number One, and founder of the SISTER- In testimony before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on HOOD of the WICCA has been invited to address the Amer- Constitutional Rights, the professors argued that the rati- ican' Academy of Religion's Annual Conference, this year fication period could be extended by possibly a simple ma- held at the San Francisco Hilton Hotel from December 28- jority in each House (at the least), or a two thirds majority 31st. Z will speak at noon on the 29th .of December "Wicce in each House (at the most). If history plays a role in the and the Return of the ,Goddess~' and illustrate her speech with issue, it would appear that proponents of the extension slides of the images of the goddess from around the world. could count on winning the extension even if it was decided Budapest is the first witch to be invited to address this group. that a two-thirds vote was needed. The E.R.A. was approved The Conference is free. Feminist activist Niami Goldenberg by the House 354 to 24 in October, 1971 and by the Senate was instrumental in this breakthrough invitation. with a vote of 84 to 8 in March 1972. The current deadline continued on page 24 for ratification by 38 states will expire on March 22, 1979 unless an extension is granted. "AN ARMY OF LOVERS" AND OTHER T-SHIRTS FOR WARRIORS

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Jan./Feb.23 leases are needed from the WRITERS of the letters submitted, so please send the name and address of the writer, and editors Joan G. and Diane G. will tactfully contact them for release. Deadline is March 1, 1978. Send to: LLL, P.O. Box 621, Old Chelsea Station, New York, N.Y. 10011.

FEMINIST WRITERS GUILD For the woman who writes things she shows to no-one , for the woman who earns her income writing, and for all the women writers in between, the Feminist Writer's Guild has been formed. It is a national organization that will provide both a support group and a political body for women feminist writers. In their introductory letter, the Guild women write, "As women writers in an inhospitable culture, without each other's support we are, at the mercy of our own self-doubt." The Guild wants to organize local chapters to break through the isolation feminist writers face. For those women also at the mercy of the patriarchal press, the Guild will be a pres- LESBIAN, LOVE LETTERS sure group to lobby for more grants and foundation money to go to women writers, and to protest the bias against fem- Two New York women are compiling a book of lesbian love inist books and ideas in the straight ,Publishing industry, as letters and are looking for contributions that "reflect the well as works by lesbian and Third World women. They will nature and quality of all facts of relationships-the beginning, also compile a handbook for women writers to. aid in dealing the middle, the end, the struggles and changes, the new be- with publishers, contracts, agents, etc. Membership in the ginning, and continuing friendships." All names in the letters Guild is open to "any woman writer who takes her writing will be changed, but "some brief autobiographical note as seriously" and pays $10, payable to The Feminist Writers well as what was happening in the relationships at the time Guild, P.O. Box 9396, Berkeley, cs. 94709. the letters were written will help the women reading it" to better identify ." All material received will be treated con- fidentially, and letters will be copied and sent back to you if you are not able to send a photocopy of the original. Re- JEAnnE and AUDREY ? WEbCOPIE YOU TO : ~ Q THE nEWM8.mz 1tl 4363 South Sepulveda Boulevard Culver City, California 90230

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24 Lesbian Tide WOMEN'S GROUPS COALESCE Ing feminist Witches Movement and focus on aiding individuals / and groups to function as Wicce. Mailing list is now in for- The California Women's Fight Back Network is planning mation, send us your name and address and tell us whether a state conference of women's groups which will co-ordinate you wish to contact .other witches in your area. Write: and fight against recent setbacks in abortion, rape and ,gay "Themis", care of Karen Moonwomon, 1018 Marine St. No.2, rights struggles. If you wish to keep posted and attend the Santa Monica, Ca. 90405. Member of the Susan B. Anthony Conference, ~rite WFBN at P.O. Box 23984 Oakland, Ca., Coven Number One. . 94623 or call (415) 653-9028.

LAWYERS CONVERGE IN GEORGIA PRODUCERS HOOK UP More than 3,500 persons from throughout the country are expected to attend the Ninth National Conference on . Music Wome·n, a monthly newsletter for managers and Women and the Law in Atlanta on April 6-9. This year's producers, is now being published by Sight and Sound meeting of law students, lawyers, legal workers and inter- Women, a distribution and production- company based in New ested persons is sponsered by the Women Law Student's York. In a workshop last summer at the Mt. Pleasant Music Association of the University of Georgia. Festival, women in production expressed a need for the The Conference has become a unique opportunity for ac- formation of a manager/producer network. Music Women, quiring substantive knowledge and practical skills necessary now in its third month of publishing, offers such a resource to deal with concerns women face in the legal system. It will and idea exchange. The newsletter lists planned events, and have over 200 workshops on topics such as employment, information from performers on upcoming tour dates, to discrimination.. women in mental and penal institutions, enable local producers to better plan tour productions. Arti- battered women, Third World women, and lesbians and the cles on copy"wrights, politics, getting airplay, producing law.. For further information contact: unusual events and personality pieces are also highlighted Ninth National Conference on Women and the Law by Music Women. For more information contact: Sight and Women Law Students Association Sound Women, Box 880 Downstairs, 166 West 21st Street, University of Georgia School of Law New York, New York, 10CH1. Athens, Georgia 30602 404-542-7669·

Witches Begin Newsletter Sisters! At last we have the energy and sisters to 'start our own publication: THEMIS, the voice of the Feminist Witch. The CfiFE METRO publication will serve to communicate with the rapidly spread-

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Many lesbian mothers find that they are not fully wel- comed within the lesbian community, and it is hard for (Editorial Note: The Lesbian Tide has a reference them to share' feelings and experiences with mothers who Lesbian Mothers and Custody which is compo are not lesbians. Many lesbians forget that a woman with child- articles dating from the first custody battle i ren m 0 be a lesbian. We need to begin to understand these articles is available to researchers for $ w the way we do to women with children. How do ildren in our community? Why? What if a wo- Who Wants A Court Battle! child? We have to discuss how to decide enough to be excluded from women's Over the past year, although I am no pport each other and try to understand come aware of the problems a lesbian en who have children, and who are to keep or win custody of her childre munities. We must realize the econ- go to court to fight a custody case, sh on mothers; it's expensive to support quite a sum of money. As long as lesbi ay feel little job security if she is openly trial, it is going to be a hard and ex mother. The trial preparation requires ependable childcare at all events. This sis and deep interpersonal understand rs have the time to come to events. It mother. This is necessary because of us who aren't mothers to realize shrinks to check out the woman's" childcare responsibilities. If we spend may be generallly destructive to a wo e can raise our consciousness about the mother's lover, if a lover is involv lesbian mother. Wouldn't it be nice derstanding of herself, her relationsh f women of all ages who are working, her lover's children. The mother's lover ether? . judge in his/her effort to determine i out supporting lesbians who already role model for the children. Also, it is v at brings another issue to mind. There judge that s/he understands the two w are thinking about having children or < A lesbian mother has to decide how would react to a pregnant lesbian? children and how much she is willing to c lesbian's chances of adopting a child? Does she want the children no matter wha ust begin to discuss! mises she might have to make? Will she -(Lesbian Connection) or will she stay in the closet? If she doe court, she will have to stay in the closet reach 18, or she may face a new custody lesbianism. Will she give up living with he says that this is the only way she will be a of her children? The judge will be concerne laroid Foundation has given a $3,000 will be brought up gay (which is what t bian mothers" to the Janus Coun- hear) or she could try to explain to th Medley of Janus told GCN that "stable". If a woman is politically active, pany to respond favorably to the gay community, the judge will question t uring a summer fundraising earn- dicule the child will receive from her this her/his "weird" mother. Hmmm ... In shor resting," dley told GCN, "is that we reo has to prove that she is a "perfect" pare r 'services for lesbian mothers.' We "normal", and lives a "regular" life, even th ch that it had to be acknowledged sexually to women and not men. ha d be going to the lesbian community- it didn't have a straight component. It feels damned good." In its grant, Polaroid said it was "pleased to be able to "111111111111111111111111111I1111111111111111111111111111111I1111111111111 III II 11111 11111 11111 11111 11111 III II!!· participate with you in your efforts to provide a wide range LESBIAN MOTHERS of services 'for lesbian women.'" Janus counselling offers outreach services for all women in the Boston/Cambridge We are looking for lesbian mothers who are interested in completing a questionaire which examines the social area with particular attention paid to the lesbian community. pressures that face mothers. We will supply you with Donna Medley said that the lesbian mother's group will an anonymous questionaire and SASE. . be allowed to decide what to do with the grant. The group We are two lesbians and a feminist who are social meets on Thursday evenings at 8 o'clock at the Cambridge work students at USC. If you would be willing to fill Women's Center. For information, call Janus Counselling out a questionaire for us, please call one of us: 661-2537. Bonnie Moore (213) 780·5456, Valerie Handlers (213) (GCN) 838-3508, Lynne Marsenich (714) 621·3671. ,11I111I11111111111111111111111111111111I1111I11111111111111111I11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 r=: 26 Lesbian .Tide -----editorial----- /

FROM US WE HAVE MOVED $1200 RAISED FOR 'MONTHLY FUND' Please note that we have changed addresses and offices, As diligent readers of The Tide editorial pages will know, we hopefully for the last time. Our new address is: 8706 have been working on raising funds to finance a switch from CADILLAC AVE., LOS ANGELES, CA. 90034. Our phone bi-monthly tp monthly publication. We have asked for donat- number remains the same. Mail sent to our previous address Ions, and recently sponsered a fundraising dance at the en Cattaragus will get to us, but please spread the word we Woman's Building on New Year's Eve. The dance which netted are now on CADILLAC AVE. $650 included a concert by the inimitable Maxine Feldman, This issue of the Tide will be delivered later than usual who took us from "Gimme That Old Lesbianism" all the way due to holiday delays. through "Amazon Women." At midnight, the winner of the 'ride raffle, walked off with a cruise for two on the Carribbean on the all-woman ship Sappho II. Another helpful addition to our drive for monthly publication was the receipt of a $390 grant from Gay Faire 77. So our grand total in our MONTHLY FUND is now $1200. We need another $800 (see ad) to reach WHAT our goal of $2000. We continue to ask for your support!! COMES OUT ONCE No Love In This Action

ONTH AND In our last issue The Tide was duped into printing an ad for a Christian organization seeking to "cure homosexuals." IS MORE FUN The ad was a two-inch business card size ad which read, "Love In Action" and listed a phone number. Some, one calledthe phone number and there is a recording telling how and why gay people can be "cured" through Christ, etc., etc. We wish THAN FALLING to apologize to our readers and point out a new danger before our community. Right wing groups and individuals have become much more aggressive about infiltrating our movement. FFTHEROOF? The ad in question was personally brought to our offices The Lesbian Tide, of course. But €he Tide only comes by a woman who looked like any other dyke we might see at out every other month, you say? Not if you have a communit;' dance or in our study ,group. When our Ad- anything to say about it. Yes, friends, The Lesbian ,vertising Director asked. ''What exactly jis 'Love In Action', Tide could be arriving at your very door or bookstore some kind of therapy?" the woman replied it was a coun- every single month. How can you help? We're glad seling service for gay women. Because we have' never been you asked that. All that stands between you and us approached by right whig advertisers before, none of us is a mere $2,000. With that amount we could absorb thought 'to pick up the phone and call the number. We have the initial expense of double printing, mailing, etc. no policy of calling all phone numbers on all ads. We have bills. So send what you can to: learned our lesson and have tightened procedures around Tide - Monthly, accpeting advertising and printing unknown numbers. A similar example of how our enemies are using our 8706 Cadillac Ave. own words, and publications and demonstrations against us Los Angeles, Ca. 90034 is the' way that Senator Briggs, sponsor of the California anti-gay teachers initiative, has printed close up pictures SEE lesbians fight heterosexism in the courts, in of OUR demonstrations, signs and people in HIS anti-gay City Hall, in the streets! literature. Signs about lesbian mothers, teachers, etc. are THRILL to the latest book and record reviews! his favorites. Underneath his pictures of our demonstrations GASP AS differing viewpoints clash in the letters are captions like, "See how they are after our children." section! ' Additionally Briggs has printed names and addresses of gay organizations in his literature. The Lesbian Tide would like CHEER as your pile of Tides gets bigger twice as fast! to warn -sisters that in these times we must exercise more cau- tion. We don't need paranoia, but we do need awareness and 'You'll sigh, you'll laugh, you'll love every Amazonian need to take steps to protect ourselves. minute of the monthly Lesbian Tide! And you can help to make it happen by sending your orange juice one to us. Jan./Feb. 27 ______Ietters _

IS FAT STRONG occasion should bring her toys and equipment to promote the development of that competence. It is not enough for boys to Dear Cheri Lesh, be given dolls. Girls must be given sports equipment. And grown-up women needn't feel their fate is sealed for- I just read your "Big Hipped, Beautiful and Fierce." Parts of ever in the fat+or+skinny options. We've taken our lives in- it felt good, for a very fleeting moment. But the article clari- to our own hands in other areas, discovered sensuality, lib- fied for me why fat is not a joyful thing. The sensuous aspect erated masturbation ... At no age is it too late to take posess- felt good-until the end: "all softness and acceptance." Cer- ion of our bodies for ourselves and make them strong and ef- tainly we need to overcome the man's decree that women fective-make them serve us as our allies, not our enemies. must be skinny, starved and weak. But the Women's centers should all have gyms and teach the various not fat, but muscle. It is a two-year-ol ma ts, to give us grace and strength,-but taught by posites to call fat big and strong. at we need are not passive fertility God- e of Amazons. Maybe if women were men were drones, the women could massive, sit back and receive homage. with the struggle to gain power over n important first step is to feel that nd competent, defined by ourselves d purposes. sisters, recognizing that we must all but needn't remain stuck there.

radia; The Vision' of a race of ioerful, competent and self. ing muscles in a misogynist duantage. Physical violence y a strong woman than a is also desireable. While matter of choice, for fat As Aldebaran of the Fat is culture are character- we go out for athletics, ht make us fit, we are er body size is one odies well, Another hat society tells us plying with social

e three years old, aren't res. By the ote possibility se. culture is not a joyful thing. itself? Being fat DOES cause

A Few Lines Behind Bars Greetings, I would be very grateful were you to kindly print my address, so your readers and friends can write to me in this prison. Warmly, Marceline Harvey Drawer B 63·A·0147 Stormville, NY 12582

28 Lesbian Tide is made to believe that the only thing that makes her feel Ing options-preferences-in their lives, and that there are real drained is her own body. And THAT'S a drain. advantages to the lesbian and gay male lifestyles. We agree' that being strong and muscular implies the same We see no reason why either term "orientation" or "pre- independence for women as being a lesbian does. But that ference! should necessarily imply choice or lack of it,' and is 'entirely seperate from the political issue of fat. What you see ·we do not wish to impose or attack such interpretations to as a "glorification" and ''promotion'' of fat, is our attempt each use of these words. We feel it unnecessary-indeed dam- to attack an ideology that breeds self-hatred in all women. aging-to encourage polarization around these terms when we Most of us have rage at a society that has at its centerfold live in a world that requires flexibility-both in dealing with looksist oppression. But the fat woman feels the brunt of this the patriarchal institutions that still exert control over our oppression every minute of the day. Fat women are not al- lives and in describing our varied experience. lowed to feel good about being alive. We see it as our respon- This represents only some of our thoughts about these 6ibility to create a safe space for fat lesbians to be celebrated terms and their implications which we are continuing to ex- and nurtured. Loving ''where one is ", is not being stuck at amine and discuss. We welcome input from all lesbians and gay till, It is precisely that accpetance that is prerequisite to the .men on these issues. . riecision whether or not to be an Amazon. Sincerely, . In sisterhood, The Editorial and Political Collective) The Board of Directors and Staff of NGTF Editor's Note: We also recieved a letter from Kay Whitlock, IT THE TERM FITS, USE IT Coordinator of the NOW National Task Force on Sexuality pear Tide Collective: and Lesbianism, stating, "There was no August communication to local NOW lesbian rights task forces urging them to The NGTF board and staff wish to respond to a recent art- 'consider' changing their name back to "Sexuality and Les- lcle ("Feminist Gay Leaders Call for End to Choice"?-Tide, bianism" or "Sexuality" task forces." She further states: Sept., Oct., 1977) which may have left readers with the false "Local NOW task forces affiliated with the NOW National Sex- impression that NGTF, together with feminist and civil rights uality and Lesbianism Task Force have always been free to leaders, has issued an edict cancelling further use of the phrase adopt their own local task force designation. Not every single "sexual preference" in favor of the phrase "sexual orient- task force takes the exact same action on the exact same is- ation." We have not done so, and remain, as always, opposed sues, though certainly, each is active in promoting lesbian to any moves that deny women their right to choose lovers or rights. Thus, the case has always been that local groups have otherwise control their bodies. Although the Tide correctly adopted a variety of task force designations, including: 'Sex quoted a portion of our press release relating to a discussion juality and Lesbianism Task Force': 'Lesbian Rights Task 'of these. terms, the quote was taken out of context and the art- .Force ': 'Lesbian Task Force': 'Sexuality Task Force': or 'Les- icle, especially the headline, implied conclusions not contain- ibian/Gay Rights Task Force'." ed in our statement. To clarify the situation, we wish to state that NGTF's pol- DYKES RANK INTELLIGENT icy during the past four years has been and continues to be, Dear Sisters, support and use of both terms ("orientation" and "prefer- I am the astrologer Starwoman who has been advertising ence") in our dialogue with the press, legislators and others around in feminist publications for lesbian birth data. So far, because we recognize that each term has a particular validity we've collected over 500 charts+really exciting, and the largest batch ever collected-but we're hoping to reach 1000 and and effectiveness. We have held considerable discussion about hope that you can help us. What we need is: birth date, place, the use of these terms and wish to share some of our obser- and accurate time, and, if possible, coming out date by one's vations here. own deflnition, If people can't find their birth times, they can The term "orientation" seems to represent best the ex- write to the capital of their state of birth, give appropriate perience of those women and men who feel that their gay- information, and ask specifically for their time; times have ness is innate-a "given" which one becomes aware of, just as been on 'record since 1905. In return, I guarantee anonymity heterosexuals become aware, at some point, of their pre- (it's a woman-owned computer) and will send back the chart dominate sexual and affectional interests. The term "orient- and a brief (really brief) one-page interpretation, The results ation" is more effective than "preference" countering those will be available to all who participate, hopefully for the cost of a stamped, self-adressed envelope, but I'm out of money psychiatrists who insist that homosexuals do have an option to right now (have been paying for this 'myself) and may have to be non-gay if they undergo psychotherapy. The term "or- charge some nominal fee for paper. I'd rather not, though, ientation" tends to make it easier to enlist support and avoid since I'd like maximum input from the Ilf community before conflict over theological, moral issues such as sin. the results are released to the public. In dealing with legislators, the term "orientation" is most The response has been magnificent so far-I think it's the effective, since they are now, more than ever, conscious of the warmth and encouragement and support that has kept me go- hysteria on the part of many of their constituents who have ing, Initially; I wanted to see if there was a prototype lesbian accepted Anita Bryant's philosophy that we're ,out to "re- chart and to determine what role, if any, the Asteroids played cruit" the children of America. in Lesbian charts (the Asteroid Pallas Athena, ruling intel- On the other hand, the phrase "sexual preference" also has ligence and absolute equality, plays a BIG role). I began the study, however, in reaction to several studies around the coun- validity and usefulness. It more closely represents the exper- try, conducted by straight people of course, of "Homosex- ience of those persons, particularly feminists, who've made a uals" which lumped gay women and men together into one conscious choice to be gay in a patriarchal society. Promot- group: my first hypothesis was that the charts of lesbians and ion of the term "preference" has also been more effective gay men would be different, and they certainly are. within the other movement communities where equality is Thank you very much for whatever help you can give. a common goal. We at NGTF believe that the people of Am- \ P.O. Box 21292 - ... erica-including children-have a right to know there are lov- Eagan, MN 55121 Sincerely, Starwoman Jan./Feb-.- 29 ------rClviClws------,

/' Tender Secrets There is love of woman unto woman, in its fibre Revered Stronger than knits a mother to her child. There is no lack in it, and no defect; By Sharon McDonald 1t looks nor up nor down, aut loves from plentitude to plentitude. Lesbian Lives, edited by Barbara Grier and Colletta Reid, Diana Press, $5.75. Edith Somerville describes her first meeting with her lifelong love, Violet Martin: "It was the hinge of my life, The place They wore men's clothes or they wore long dresses, they where my fate, and hers, turned over." And women's journals were married or "spinsters," they loved openly and scandal- told more than was dared in poetry or letters, as in the 18th ously or they loved behind so many veils that they them- century journal of Lady Eleanor Butler. Lady Butler often selves were sometimes nearly fooled. They were strange lad- tnentions her garden in her fifty year journal of her life with ies, they were our foremothers, and thanks to Barbara Grier Safah Ponsonby , and it takes little imagination to understand a and Coletta Reid, they are at last ours to claim and treasure. loving woman's meaning when she writes, "My beloved and I In Lesbian Lives Grier and Reid have collected the stories spent a delightful evening in the shrubbery." ,. of l iterally dozens of women that originally appeared in The Even if this book did not contain astonishing stories of Ladder. The longest running lesbian publication in herstory women who literally conquered their worlds, it would be more (1957-1972). There are the adventureers, the women who put than worth the price for the photos alone. There are faces on men's clothing and names and headed west, or to sea, or to .here , nearly a hundred faces of the clear eyed women who pre- war, and frequently into the bedrooms of quite proper ladies. ceded us. There are defeats as well as victories, the frightened It was a singular delight to read how many of these women lives and those made bold by love. In each face lie memories who assumed "male" identities were "devils with the ladies" of other faces, the unnamed lovers who moved these women to laughter and passion. The photos stand as reminders that we have always been here, more numerous than anyone has ever thought, and that women's love and courage is without beginning and without end.

SF.Y.UAL FANTASY SliRVf:Y

16 yo& aote a l~.bLa~ a~d tveot ~ad .txual ~.~ta.Le., oot wo~- deoted about .~xual 6a~ta.Le4, ootwdnted to ked. otht. le4- b.

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1) I have 'sexual fantasies: more than l/day l/week l/day lcs~ than l/weey.

2) I fantasIze: , during masturbation when making love other .£ , ,myself only SOM~onc I know ~ imnginary persons other I: os .4) Hy fantasies make me feel: ~ excited guilty .3 so/so other ~. . _ tell my fantas'ies to, 8 5) I o no one my friend (5) .t:: my lover(s) other ~------~~------~~WANTED: Cattle Annie & Little Britches and the react: supportive/excited scared negative other or had long marriages with women who kept their lovers' sex 6) I act out my fantasies with: II tender secret for half a century. no one my Lover t c) There are lots of poets and writers here who documented myself only other. the lesbian life of a century Or two ago. These women left us 7) Clearly, and with as much detail as possible, descrP.ie

yo~r sexual fantasies. If you have several tantaAiesf poetry thick with hidden meaning, reasonable and persuasive pick you r thref'!: "favorites". (Use separate 9heet of essays on women's rights, and reckless, proud love letters. paper, ) Katherine Bradley and Edith Cooper, who lived and wrote' together in the 19th century, said in their play The Tragedy of . Pardon: ------c~t out and mail------~-----·---- 30 Lesbian Tide berate yourself by saying such things as 'I'm stupid.' 'I'm weak.' or 'I can't do this.' The problem is not within you. It Raising Your Level is somewhere in the work. Perhaps the method is wrong, or the tool is wrong, or you are not using your body to its by Shirl Buss best advantage." She offers practical information that em- phasizes ingeniuty rather than strength for lifting and car- Against the Grain: A Carpentry Manuel for Women, by rying heavy materials. These tips are supplemented by ex- Dale McCormick, Iowa City Women's Press, 1977, $6.00. cellent (and I must say dykey!) illustrations. McCormick makes no attempt to hide her disgust with Only in Against the Grain can you find the illustrations , continued on page 32 bf tools embellished with labels saying "Made in Amazon Nation." It is a womanuel crafted by Dale McCormick with the precesion and artistic care of a fine cabinet. Women into heavy construction, or cabinetry, will find this book as useful as those needing rudimentary handiwork advice. It is tlensely packed with information, but has a clear verbal style that keeps it from being overwhelming. McCormick meticulously outlines the technical principals necessary to build cabinets, walls, windows, doors, roofs, stairs or a whole house. Yet, she laces the text with warmth, subtle humor and personal anecdotes making it a pleasure to read. For the household handiwoman there are those ever useful tips 'on how to attach bookshelves to concrete walls, how to put up paneling without marring the surface, or how to rent tools. For the seasoned carpenter, there are some stimulating sections on unusual joints (anyone ever heard of a haunched tenor or a dovetail half-lap'(), and the hidden subtleties of nails and plywoods. What makes this book unique is the strong lesbian feminist perspective that runs throughout. Right away, she warns us not to get taken in by "ladies tool sets". She says that "they alone have done a lot to keep women in their place. Small tools are not necessarily the best for women." She anticipates the frustration that most of us bucking tradition in a male dominated field have experienced. She advises : "Do not

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-disc.ount "'0 feminist ~s, reres fle)(ible;. oblac.k (whit~, color -bosiness cards °Rub\.ic.ation~ -29" pre. ss -tvpesetting ~ wo~e~teaching women continued from 31 carpentry as it is practiced by men. "It is very hard to find a straight saw these days, or a level level, or a square square. The miracle of capitilist production again." But she does ex- tract terms and information' from that world which she feels women must know for survival in lumber yards, hardware stores or on the job. She is also quick to name terms, like "cripple studs", which she feels are oppressive. , . I've read manuels written as if one man lifts and lays 400 pounds of concrete alone. Never once do they indicate that It happens any other way. Fortunately McCormick sensitively outlines ways that groups of women building structures from the bottom up; can cooperatively utilize their energtes., The level of competence and love of the trade displayed by McCormick is inspiring. And yet, she lets you know that is Is a skill she has learned, not a mystical talent. She too has I'cried, and cursed, and hammered a piece into oblivion." aut more importantly she provides us with crucial infer- mation that will enable us to systematically work through our frustrations.

tlJ£immaculatc conccption Pft6EONE z" N.lAKE A'JE.'tPASADENA'lI< CA. "l1l01 (i) oftlJ£ 1'1101-.~1 SAT/II -5:30 .•. (ZI3)7"l2-'}OIl T WJL ORDERLIST 50; blre6ro virgin bykc for Gay Women: GAIA'S GUIDE' 18 POEMS by ELLEN MARIEBISSERT Thoroughly detailed annual pocket-size international lesbian bar/club guide and complete directory, This fifth edition: All USA plus 35 other ' $3.OO/ea countries. 4000 listings. Centers. publications. resources. services. switchboards and much. much more. $6.50 mail order (including post- '13th M

Poetry. Fiction. Reviews. Graphics ( ) subscription 3 issues $4.SO ( ) subscription $9.00/institutions ( ) current issue $1.75 N~me is to order from Address Schroder Music ______Zip _ 2027 Parker St. Box 3 «tnwood Station e New Yorle, N. Y. 10034 Berkeley CA 94704 I found the omission of any discussion on large power tools disturbing. Perhaps she is of the philosophy that the best car- ARNOLD'S PRE-LESBIAN DAYS penter is one who can do it all by hand. Or perhaps the omission was a recognition that most women cannot afford such Applesauce, June Arnold. Daughters Publishing Company. tools and need to use hand tools. But overall, as a handy $5.00 paperback. 240 pages. reference or for more thorough reading, Against the Grain is a must for all lesbians. Applesauce is a reprint of a book originally published by McGraw-Hill in 1966. The book undoubtedly made an im- WOM[N'S WAX WORKS A(){)] portant contribution to the consciousness of the 60's. It is .•·LIVING the story of one woman who assumes three traditionally WITH sanctioned feminine roles ( sex goddess, intelectual-wife and LESBIANS super mom) in her attempt to find herself, only to finally ~N UNCOMMON ,WUS/CAL ADVENTURe see that the answer must come from within. The point that $6(includestax) the fault might not be in role playing alone, but in the roles , .WAKE CHECK PA YABLf AND ..,AIL TO dept I WOMEN'SWAX WRKS themselves is subtly made corollary whichis expressed through PRcSfON HOLLOW, NY 12469 the character of Gus, the woman's husband on one level and alter ego on another, is that woman would be better off pursuing self concepts which are traditionally the property of men. Nptes to. thee Daughters edition mention androgeny. but this is stretching things. Applesauce does foreshadow the direction of Arnold's work in Sister Gin.

/' :yt( \ Casse Culver SongbWk

A Music Lovers Companion To Casse's 3 GYPSIES and LIVE IN CONCERT • 15 Songs • SpireJ Bound • Photos-Graphics by Women at Women's, Alternative & Gay Bookstores or from: SWEET ALLIANCE MUSIC P.O. Box 2879 Washington, D.C. 20013 $5 Postpaid $6 Foreign LIVE IN CONCERT Cassette: $4 Postpaid $5 Foreign Bulk Rates on Request I Jan.7F-eb. 33 ---community focus

VIDEO PROJECTS FUNDED GAY FAIRE,GIVES AWAY $3,000

The Woman's building has just received CETA Funding for Gay Faire '77, a November weekend street fair for gays, or- two projects. The first is for a women's video project, which ganized by Ivy Bottini, Brenda WE~athers,Morris Kight, Pat will produce fifteen public service announcements about is- Rocco, and other activists, recently awarded $3,000 to nine lo- sues and organizations vital to the women's community. cal community groups. Organized to raise money and give it Organizations wishing to participate should contact the L.A. away, the Faire was very successful on both counts. Groups Women's Video Center c/o The Woman's Building, 1727 N. receiving grants were: Lesbian Feminists ($975), Lesbian Tide Spring St. ($390), Gay U.S.A./film ($200), IRMU gay radio show The second funded project is a newsletter which will inform Micheal Malone and the gay rights group now forming in the public about Women's art and culture. The newsletter will Orange County ($150), Jim Kepner's Gay Archives ($585), contain a calender of events for the L.A. feminist community. The Gay Community Services Center ($200), the Coalition for A total of eleven women were hired to fill various posi- Human Rights ($200), a group producing a T.V. show in re- tions on the projects. The grant was written by Jill Sqderholm. buttal to a child molestation documentary that scapegoated gays ($232). ' BUNCH TO SPEAK AT UCLA The Faire's sponsor, the United Mission gay social service organization also made $2,000 for the use of its corporate um- The Women's Studies Program of the University of Calif- brella structure, and another $2,500 was evenly divided among ornia will present the following events in January and Feb- HRC, Lesbian Feminists, Stonewall Democratic Club, SPREE, , ruary, For more information call 825-8015. Christopher Street West Association, and Zero To Success, all Purse Strings-a play dealing with the trials and tribulations gay groups. The six individual organizers also received a sti- of women and money. Tentatively Set for January 23, 1978 pent for their efforts. 8-10 pm, Dickson 2160 E. It took the Gay Faire Board only five weeks to pay all Clara Sue Kidwell-Associate Professor, Native American their bills, award the grants, and close their books. Studies Program, UC Berkeley , will speak on "Power of Women in Traditional Native American Societies." February FEDS FUND ALCOHOLISM FILMS 21, room and time to be announced. Charlotte Bunch, editor of Quest: A Feminist Quarterly, ACW (Alcoholism Center for Women) has received funds feminist theoretician and scholar will speak in early Feb- from CETA to make two films about their program. Frances ruary; time and room to be announced. Reid Liz Stevens from Iris Films and filmmaker Kathryn Colsen ~ill be directing the project along with two women who have been through the ACW program and who have filmmaking skills. The estimated budget for' the films will SELF-HELP SOUL HEALING be approxamately $30,000 and the women will received salaries of $800 per month. The first film will be used for an introduction to women JUDY FREE SPIRIT is pleased to announce the for- first coming into the program, for staff training and as a mation of a new Self-Help Soul Healing class for lesbian discussion starter. The second film will be used for outreach; women beginning in January. If you need a supportive, to explain why ACW is so successful and why it is necessary \ therapeutic group but don't want to have to rely on "pro-" for lesbian women to have their own center. Both films fessional" shrinks, want to learn basic facilitation tools and create an ongoing group with other like-minded will run half an hour in length and will be shot in 16mm women, this class may be for you. For further infor- color. The women hope to make a film ''with the women mation, call Judy Freespirit at 829-4165 or 392-4730. of ACW, not about them." Shooting will begin in February or March.

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34 Lesbian Tide PROGRESS CITED IN GCSC NEGOTIATIONS Editor's Note: In the spring of 1977, The Lesbian Tide ran tuio ads for the Lesbian Resources Program at GCSC. The two and a half year old boycott against the Los An- We made these exceptions to our discussion not to run GCSC geles Gay Community Services Center may be nearing an end. jobs because we felt that it was the Board of Directors, mostly' Negotiations for a/settlement. between strikers and GCSC are men, who had fired the strikers, and we did not wish to currently underway. The strikers want GCSC to agree to: further penalize lesbians. It is common practice during strikes 1) revise and strengthen their Personnel Policies and Proced- for workers literature, to be distributed inside the company ures to protect present and future workers, 2) pay back pay, to reach and influence other workers. Part of revolutionary vacation pay, fringe benefits, and job related expenses work is to spread information to change minds. So we have earned prior to May 1, 1975, 3) pay the fired workers for continued to sell The Lesbian Tide at GCSC. damages related to their termination, and 4) publish a state- WAVAWATNAM ment of responsibility for the firings. GCSC wants the strikers to drop their labor lawsuit, end the strike, and call off The New American Movement will present a slide show and the boycott. \ panel discussion by WAVAW (Women Against Violence Negotiations have been underway since October 22 when Against Women) on Friday January 20, 1978, 8 pm at 2936 the group of strikers represented by attorney Sylvia Patton W. 8th St. L.A. Donations $2. submitted this four point initiative to GCSC. The Center responded by selecting a negotiating team. Commenting on the FAIRE FUN IN SAN DIEGO current bargaining, GCSC negotiator Susan Kuhner said, "I believe both sides are trying our best to accomodate this The San' Diego All-Lesbian Convention and Faire will be reconciliation. In that spirit a suitable outcome is bound to held on January 28, 1978 from 10am-5pm at Montezuma be achieved." Hall, San Diego State University. The all day event will include In related news, there has been a split among the strikers small groups, workshops, music to listen to, and films. themselves. On December 1 the strikers represented by Pat- There will be an opportunity to participate in new games ton sent a letter to Jeanne Cordova, a striker also represent.ed (non-competitive games) as well as time and space to enjoy by Patton, asking her to seek a settlement with her own meeting new women. To join in the spirit, bring along a piece attorney. The group cited Cordova's going into GCSC to set of clothing to be silk screened with the convention logo. up a Lesbian Tide newsrack, and The Lesbian Tide's printing All women are welcome. To sign up for childcare or for of ads from GCSC as reasons for the parting of the ways. , more information call (714) 232-7528. (Cordova is an editor on the magazine and does local distribution for it.) Attorney Patton concurred that there was LESBIAN GROUP FORMING "a conflict of interest" making it impossible for her to rep- Within a framework of feminism and in a supportive atom- resent all of the strikers involved. Cordova also agreed that the sphere, this group is organized to help groups explore: sexual split was "long over due. At the core there have been deep oppression 'and its effects, intimacy and separateness, work political differences for some time. Sylvia's group have an ex- and play, choices about life style, what holds me back. clusively class' analysis of the strike as LB.M. vs. the The fee for this group, which is on Thursdays 5-7 pm, workers. I'm a radical feminist and believe GCSC was dead Is $60 per month for 4 sessions. Enrollment 'is limited to wrong in firing us, but I also see that the Center is, for better eight .. For .fu.rther .. information call Shevy Healey, Ph. D. and for worse, a part of our community. So my primary con- (213) 473-1639. cern has been the effect of the strike on lesbian feminists, hot money or damages." Cordova is retaining her own attor- hey and in representing herself has already met with GCSC negotiators, ''We have come to agreement on the principal political issues. I hope a settlement can be announced soon." , The strikers represented by Patton also report "substantial progress" in their sessions. All of the strikers call for a continued boycott of GCSC until s~ttlement is reached and announced.

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Jan./Feb. 35 Berson------project, But with the new location, more women became continued from page 5 involved, and a shifting of jobs and responsibilities had to to Neil Young records, so my brain had rotted and I had no occur .. discipline left.' Wh~n the Furies Collective formed it was a "When we got to California everything changed, the others big change, we were highly structured, we did income sharing, wanted to learn more things. While that was great in terms writing and study groups as well as put out a paper." of taking the pressure off me, it was alsQ real threatening. The Furies Fight One night shortly after the move, all five of us sat on the "The Furies was by no means a bed of roses. In fact, some kitchen floor and talked it out. They knew letting go was of the members were asked to leave. At the time we thought hard for me. But everybody made it so easy. I was never made it was all political but in retrospect there were personal aspects to feel bad." involved." Not For Posterity, ''There were class problems, power strug~les, and problems Like many long time politicos, Ginny drives herself hard. around leadership. The children of, collective members (all She handles contracts, bookings,interviews,promotion,wQrk. daughters) became a point of contention. We couched the pro- shops, and works with half of Olivia's distributors. "I know blem in political terms; The kids were affecting our political it's a lot, and it does make personal relationships difficult work, we couldn',tget things done with them around, they when you're monogamous with a record company. But I feel should go to their fathers or others to be raised. We had a an incredible urgency about work+whatever we do is never lot of reasons which were not the real reason. There were enough; Burning out is not an option." Fortunately, she loves several women in the collective who just didn't want to deal every minute of it. And the rewards are both political and with kids. It was all very intense and confused." personal. "I'm not doing it for posterity, that's for damn "In the end \ve decided that dealing with· the children 'sure, 'cause I'm not gonna have any posterities. I'm doing it was not a priority. We were ALL agreed. And the kids left." for myself. \ "It was a wrong decision .. Bending the kids away was, I Ginny Berson knows what' she's got, and it's unlikely .think, one of the worst things we ever did. I think we really that anything could tear 'her from it. But childhood dreams s~rewed the mothers. ~nd even more, the kids although at the die hard: "I can't imagine myself doing anything but political time the mothers bought into it. work. Unless of course I was offered a contract to play profes- But after The Furies broke up, two out of the three mothers sional softball. I probably wouldn't do it, but I sure would went and got their kids back." . think about it." The Furies Fold The Furies Collective disbanded after nine months, although Ballisties----- the paper kept on publishing. "I was real resistant to the continued from page 9 breakup. I really liked putting out a newspaper. I loved writ- the chances of being searched by an official pig seem less than ing and distribution. But the collective had started to go in those of being attacked by a rapist. too many different directions. Political differences we'd Knowing the federal, state and city laws might help you put aside had pushed their way into our lives." make decisions about hQW to keep yourself safe from the law "The breakup of the The Furies was awful. There were enforcers as well as from other rapists. very bad feelings and three of the women totally dropped It's interesting to note hQW often women take the risk of out of politics. Most of us are still talking to most of us." carrying illegal drugs, punishable as a felony, without the -_. Organizing Olivia fear and awe that they show in relation to guns. Apparently In May' of 1973, Olivia Records was born in Washington much fear is dispelled by familarity and group support. D.C. and shortly thereafter moved to Los Angeles (and more NQW is, the time for women to disarm for .fear of retal- recently to Oakland). While still in D.C., Ginny had been a iation .. NQW is' when the attack on women is mounting and primer ~rg_a~j.zer,putting the most time and ener~ into the women must be prepared. -If men, have nothing to fear from the law when they attack us, then they better fear for that sl~terhwd ~un in our female hands. book~t()f"e ~. TEMPLE BETHCHAYIM this month CHADASHIM featuring: Offering Gay Women of All Religions A Comfortable Environment in which Joy of Lesbian Sex To Meet, Pray, Socialize and Share

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36 Lesbian Tide Gay Movement---- If the male board member's objection to IWY was that the continued from page 17 Coalition was being asked to use its resources to support a perchance bring to mind the Briggs Initiative?) cause "other than gay," and if lesbians are "otuer" than gay, The Lesbian Rights plankwas a civil rights resolution call- then WHY should lesbians use their resources to support the ing for equal treatment in housing, employment, child cus- ,gay cause? tody, etc. without respect to sexual orientation. If the goal and purpose of this resolution is something "other than the FOR CONCERNED GAY CATHOLICS' gay cause," then WHAT, in the name of Pallas Athena, IS the GAY CAUSE? Is it, as Del said, the "Police Beat"-the defense and our friends of washroom sex? Why is that the "gay cause" and this is something "other" ??? THE POINT of asking for support to send as many lesbians as possible to the IWY Conference was NOT to have gay men show support for the (other than gay)' feminist cause, GAY RIG HTS were at stake there!!! The IWY Conference was pro- UDIGNITY~ jected by the New Right opposition as their Showdown with Los Angeles the "Lesbian controlled" women's movement. SUNDAY MASS, RAPS P.O. Box 27516 Perhaps gay men began to get THE POINT when they saw L.A. Ca. 90027 front-page headlines in the SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE MEETINGS 1 SOCIAL ACTIVITIES (213) 664-2872 and other papers proclaiming, "GAY, ABORTION PLANKS PASS." Santa Monica/West L.A. San Fe-rnando Valley For Chris, an "angry lesbian" who made the "bitter state- 7985 Santa Monica Blvd. No. 219 P.O. Box 911 ment" to the Santa Clara Coalition that "history was just re- L_A., Ca. 90027 Van Nuys, Ca. 91408 (213) 656-0258 ext. 14 (213) 761c3349 peating itself" when the male board member failed to see the relevance of the IWY Women's Conference to the "gay cause," it probably doesn't matter anymore whether the men ever got the point or not. When it was implied by the (male) co-chair that Chris owed a apology to the men, she did what I would mourrt am have done and what lesbians have had to do time and time a- gain: She left. There is (at least) one apology due, and I will make it: I apologize to Chris. for, having encouraged her to -retreat participate in the Coalition. Her anger is my anger. Her bitterness is my bitterness. I -forwcmen I was quoted in the LESBIAN TIDE as having said at the gay conference in Sacramento that Lesbian Separatists must Share energr. sk1lls call a moratorium on separatist goals and work with gay men and exper1ence 1n a on "joint projects of mutual benefit." But once again, we are support1ve'woaanspao. being given the message that the gay movement is not a mutual 1111111 ,movement. The lesbian cause is "other" than the gay cause. Open full t1•• , weekend 'Lesbian rights are "other" than the gay cause. Lesbian rights workshops scheduled. are "other" than gay rights. Lesbians are "other" than gay. So be it. A WOMAN'S PLACE ATHOL, NEW YORK 12810 FLEET PRICES ON ALL MAKES 518) 623-9541 Jan Holden 766-3847 Sales Business Manager 877·0864 STUDIO CITY, MOTORS , •• OOk/__ .••••.. 11647 Ventura Blvd.. 1_\ . G books. periodicals, Studio City. CA 91604 records, etc. by & ebour women • • also non-sexist books & playroom for children 201 W 92 Sr.· NYC ·87J-4121 VOLVO closed Mondays FIAT .- - A [)OOKSTORE FOR ~OMEN

Jan_/Feb.37 jobs

JOB: Covenant of the Goddess is interviewing for a sec- retary. (CETA) position. Contact the Feminist . Wicca, (213) 399-3919 between noon and 6:30 pm

JOB: The Lesbian Tide is looking for a few good editors! 10 hours per week, $100 per month. Must be able to write and edit. Job is writing short news,clips, etc. and editing articles. Job may develop into full time. We will help relocate you (housing etc.) if out of town. Call office (213) 839-7254 for further information, and/or write and send resume to Tide Publications, 8706 Cadillac' Ave., Los An- geles, Ca. 90034...... FULL CHARGE BOOKEE~ER with strong bookeeping and tax prep. background. Energetic career oriented indiv ...•. progressive Beverly Hills firm. Salary open. Send resume' to: P.O. Box 3572, Hollywood, Calif- ornia 90028. .

ADVERTISING RATES FULL. PAGE (20 column inches) $80 RADICAL WOMEN ANNUAL CONFERENCE: A Decade . . , . of, Socialist Feminism-The Story of Radical Women- HALF PAGE (10" "_) $45 The First Socialist Feminist Organization. Discussions % PAGE (5 . -" ") : .. $25 on Radical Women in the National Arena and Strategies for the Future. January 27, 28, 29, 1978_ Information/ 4 Column inch ad ...•...... $20 Registration: 3815 5th _Ave. NE, Seattle, Wa. 98105 3 Column inch ad $15 (206) 632-1815, 325-8258. ! •••••••••••••••••••• BUSINESS CARD SIZE (2 col. inches) $10 CALICO SOUND: for concerts, speaking events, tape or live dances -& tape duplications. Call Carol Leamy SIZ~S: 1column inch = 3W' horizontal by 1" (213) 569-6849. .' vertical (ad copymay also be two columns ...... -"- - - , 7 inches ~ wide). . IN OTHER WORDS, by Alice Molloy, lesbian feminist dyke commie-anarchist dope fiend paranoid schizophren- ic also into matriarchy, witchcraft, nuturing., My notes on DEADLINES: Camera ready copy *"', and check, the politics and morale of survival, with excerpts from .' must be received by the 20th of the month my reading matter, plus comments and a word trip. prior to publication. That Is by: It's a big book. Send 8.50 plus .50 postage and handling to Alice Molloy. 4205 B Terrace St., Oakland, Ca. 9461,1. P.S. Witches and goddess lovers, remember February Feb. 20 for March/April issue 2nd is the festival of the Waxing Lights. April 20 for May/J.une issue - . June 20 for. July/Aug. issue INSTRUCTOR for adyanced course in feminist theory Aug. 20 far Sept./Oct. issue . spring quarter, 1978 (March 30 - June 15). Minimum Oct. 20 for Nov./Dec. issue qualifications: advancement to candidacy. Prefer assistant or associate professor. Application deadline: Jan. 15. **We will layout your ad for you. $5.00 layout fee. For more information, write Dr. Gloria Bowles, Women's S d t .TIDE PUBLICATIO'NS Studies, 301 Campbell Hall, University of California, en 0:, 8706 Cadill~c Ave. Berkeley, CA 94720...... ,, . Los Angeles, Ca. 90034 Jewish Women's Forum, open to Jewish and non-Jewish women to discuss Jewish women's history struggles and anti-semitism historically and within the feminist movement. Sunday, January 22, 1:30 to 5:30 pm at the Univ- GAIA'S GUIDE' 18 is now available. ersity Religious Conference Bldg., 900 Hilgard Blvd., next to UCLA. Free, sponsered by Jewish feminist Fifth edition. New, ~evised and very expanded. women's study group. For information call 474-1531.

38 Lesbian Tide Embodied in the book, clear and oright Kate Millett, Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, to the beholder, is what MacAdams calls Anne Waldman, Gloria Steinem. the "sensual, sexual, spiritual, experience The camera, MacAdams finds, "is a of photographing these women" who tool to express love ... each picture is a range from street people to noted part of me and 1 live with it. .. whenI actress-es, writers, poets, playwrights, find a moment, it's orgasmic." such as Colleen Dewhurst. Patti Smith. ------~------~---- CHELSEA HOUSE PUBLISHERS Ple"se send me copies of EMERGENCE. ($15, plus $1 postage/handling) 70 West 40 Street Check or Bank AmeriCard accepted. New York, New York 10018 Card No. Exp. Date _

Signature WHY HAVE WOM~N ALWAYS DOUBTED THEI .. ~ THEY ARE CAPABLE OF DOING? Why is it that Columbus, Cousteau and GI eren't women? Is it because it all at way and happens again and again? Have we, as women, inherited a no - elf image of so thi s to our minds couldn't do a thing like that" or "Who me? ?" Well, we can't put yo n t ~et ~t. be~peten ike Columbus in sailing and. competent like Cousteau underwater, so at's 0 co an ifl~iS i person's world. ) SIGN UP NO F T P a II, THE AD N RE Off \ E Luxurious all-women cruises depart~g ~homas, United States Virgin Islands eac~ Sun y d returning the following Saturday ... here's your opportunit to n sailing, deep sea fishing.. water skiing, wind surfi and scuba diving in the exciting clear coral-filled waters of the lue C~ . , - 0 ch w teak decks and spacious air-conditioned interior, six lucky wo n, plus our ltighly-~~!:V,2..IlliL.r:L , will enjoy ourmet meals, drinks and all activities for our all inclusive price a 500 per person. If you organize a cruise for five ot women YOUR PASSAGE IS FREE. SAPPHO II is not an ordinary charter bo ~~~;:_~~i~_~rulY geared for fun and advent , so if you've wondered if your day would ever come ... it's here. Com;:;"~~~g th~~ , he "by women for women" way. ONE WEEK FREE CRUISE for you and one woman to be d~froSe sending for brochure or calling for information: Ceil O'Brien, 5900 N.E. 22nd Way, Apt. 822 Fort Lauderdale, FLA 33308.

COMPLETE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS The Ancient and other poems by Judith Crewe paper$3.50

"A first collection of tough-minded, hard- surfaced and often complex poems." 5314 North Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, California 90042 Judith is an Alberta lesbian poet, the firsi woman to be published by the Canadian .AIRLINE TICKETS, CRUISES, CHARTERS, gay publishing house of Catalyst Press. HOTEL & CAR RENTAL. RESERVATIONS 'f available from: Catalyst Press, I INDIVIDUAL & GROUP TOURS Judith Crewe q15 Blantvre Ave., Scarborough OUR SERVICES ARE FREE (213) 255-1115 Ontario Canada.

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